(UPDATE) MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday ordered the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to suspend the implementation of the new round of fare hikes amid the skyrocketing prices of petroleum products and other commodities caused by the war in the Middle East. In a video message, Marcos acknowledged the hardships the public was already going through due to the volatile situations outside the country and reassured citizens that the government would ensure no one gets left behind.
“You know, when I woke up this morning, I saw the headlines and what was being discussed was the approved fare hike for our passengers. In my opinion, because we still have a problem because of the war in the Middle East, I say maybe this is not the time to raise fares for our countrymen,” he said in Filipino.
“So, I ordered the DOTr to suspend the fare hike and let's defer it first. Let's postpone that for now because we are now in the middle of this situation. We need to continue to support our commuters, workers and students, and everyone who uses our transportation system,” he added.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) announced it approved the fare hike for all modes of land transportation, an increase averaging 19 percent, which was supposed to take effect on March 19.
