Philippine bus firms seek fare hike as diesel jumps

Philippine bus operators pressed President Ferdinand Marcos on Tuesday to allow higher ticket prices, saying fuel costs threatened to make services unsustainable.

Diesel, which powers most buses in the country, has effectively doubled since US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February triggered the Middle East war. On Tuesday, the per-litre price of diesel rose by another 8.82 pesos, about 14 US cents.

A group representing bus lines across the Philippines said operations “may soon become impossible” and called for fares that reflect the cost of running public transport.

The Philippine transport board approved a fare increase in March, but Marcos blocked the move a day later. Ticket prices have remained unchanged since then.

Millions of Filipinos use buses to commute. Fares range from 13 to 15 pesos for the first five kilometres, then rise by about three pesos for each additional kilometre.

The transportation department pointed to a Saturday statement saying it hoped to reach a positive decision on a rate increase in coming days.

The import-dependent Philippines declared a national energy emergency in March and has sought fuel from more sources, including oil from Russia. The energy department said on Tuesday that the country had a 57-day reserve of diesel and enough petrol for 56 days.