Thousands of drivers strike in the Philippines over rising fuel prices

What the report says

Thousands of public transport drivers in the Philippines began a two-day strike on Tuesday over rising fuel prices, according to Al Jazeera. The action was organised by Piston, a transport workers’ union, and largely involved informal public transport operators in and around Manila. Organisers said they wanted fuel prices brought back to 55 pesos per litre, the level they say prevailed before the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran contributed to higher oil costs.

The strike prompted the government to step up its response for commuters. Al Jazeera reported that police officers were deployed to help maintain order and assist passengers, while the transport department arranged free rides and authorities in the Bicol region sent buses to cover disrupted routes. Police said they monitored several rallies in Manila, but did not see major disruption in the capital area.

Piston has argued that the fuel-price surge is tied to the wider Middle East conflict and has blamed the Philippine government and the United States for failing to protect drivers from the impact. A separate group, Manibela, had also staged a strike the day before, pressing for relief and for fuel taxes to be removed, then paused its action to hold talks with regulators.

The dispute highlights how imported fuel costs feed into inflation, transport expenses and household budgets in the Philippines, which relies heavily on oil imports. Al Jazeera also noted that the country declared an energy emergency earlier in the year in response to rising prices.