Taxi drivers grounded as record fuel prices reshape daily life
Mario Orain sits in the shade by his idle vehicle, the driver of a small taxi now spending more hours parked than on the road. The spike in fuel costs has made each trip a gamble for him and many others who depend on transport for a living.
Taxi drivers grounded: one man’s quiet halt
Mario Orain, a 51-year-old driver, used to earn his living on the road. “It’s really bad, ” he said. “There are very few bookings. And fuel prices have gone up a lot. It’s very expensive now. ” His parked taxi — and the silence of passengers who no longer request rides as often — is a snapshot of a wider disruption.
What is driving prices and how high have they gone?
Diesel has breached the triple-digit mark for the first time, with the Department of Energy warning of prices as high as 114 pesos per liter in Metro Manila. The Department of Energy’s recent data show prevailing retail price ranges in the National Capital Region: diesel between 91. 35 and 114. 9 pesos per liter, gasoline between 86. 4 and 100. 3 pesos per liter, and kerosene between 91. 9 and 143. 79 pesos per liter.
Industry estimates cited further adjustments for the coming week: diesel could rise by 16. 50 to 17. 50 pesos per liter and gasoline by 7. 50 to 8. 50 pesos per liter. The Department of Energy had previously announced larger adjustments for an earlier week: diesel by 20. 40 to 23. 90 pesos per liter and gasoline by 12. 90 to 16. 60 pesos per liter, with kerosene adjusted by 6. 90 to 8. 90 pesos per liter.
Carlo Asuncion, chief economist at the Union Bank of the Philippines, noted a structural reason behind rapid domestic price shifts: “Unlike some neighbouring countries, the Philippines has limited domestic refining capacity, which means local prices quickly reflect movements in global crude and refined product markets. ” That linkage helps explain why a global shock can translate so quickly into higher costs at the pump and on the meter for a taxi.
Who is acting, and what are officials saying?
Market responses have been uneven: PetroGazz offers rollback while other oil firms raise prices. The Department of Energy has emphasized that the country has a sufficient fuel supply but has also warned against hoarding. Energy Secretary Sharon Garin cautioned about the risks of panic buying: “What is unpredictable is the hoarding part. Kung mag-hoard ang isa, maapektuhan ang iba, especially ang PUVs. We need to curtail hoarding and not cause more panic among our people. “
For drivers like Mario, those assurances do not immediately ease the choice between operating at a loss or sitting out another empty shift. The combination of higher pump prices and fewer fares is already changing patterns of work and transport in cities.
Where do people go from here?
The current mix of price adjustments, public warnings and isolated rollbacks leaves commuters, transport operators and policymakers facing hard trade-offs. For now, the parked taxi is both symbol and barometer: it records the human toll of a market that has tightened fast and unevenly. As officials urge calm and firms respond in different ways, drivers and passengers will be watching whether supply assurances and targeted measures ease the squeeze or whether the queues at the pump and the silence on the street become a longer-term reality.
Image caption (alt text): A parked taxi with its driver waiting for fares as fuel prices climb.
