New Philippines Policy: Public Transport Fares Cancelled Increase and Free!

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos has issued a new policy to anticipate the surge in fuel prices due to the Israel-United States and Iran war. On Wednesday (18/3/2026), President Marcos announced the cancellation of the public transport fare increase policy that had just been announced the day before, and promised free travel for passengers using public vehicles. This country, which imports almost all of its crude oil from the Middle East, has been working hard to address the very high price increases due to the US-Israel war with Iran. Since the hostilities erupted, the Philippines has implemented a four-day workweek for civil servants, distributed cash to rickshaw drivers, and seen its only oil refinery open discussions to purchase Russian oil. Quoting AFP, on Tuesday (17/3/2026), the country’s transport regulator announced fare increases across various modes of public transport, with fares for Jeepneys—the public transport used by millions of Filipinos every day—expected to rise by around 8%. However, suddenly today President Marcos said otherwise. “In my opinion… now may not be the right time to raise fares for the public,” Marcos said on Wednesday (18/3/2026), when cancelling the increase, citing the ongoing war in the Middle East, quoted from AFP news agency. Instead, Marcos said he had instructed the national Department of Transportation to “launch free travel across the Philippines” along with discounts on the light rail system and toll roads. Marcos did not specify which modes of public transport would be made free. In a statement issued shortly afterwards, the Department of Transportation said it would suspend the fare increases in accordance with the President’s request while “preparing” programmes, including free travel. Mody Floranda, President of the local Jeepney Drivers Union, told AFP that his group was unhappy with the decision. “We are disappointed that our country’s President has cruelly revoked what his government had given us,” he said.