{
  "id": 9107221,
  "title": "Philippine bus lines press Marcos for rate hike as fuel prices soar",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/philippine-bus-lines-press-marcos-for-rate-hike-as-fuel-prices-soar-9107221",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-22T07:30:09.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/business/2026/09/22/philippine-bus-lines-press-marcos-for-rate-hike-as-fuel-prices-soar"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "As fuel prices skyrocket due to the Middle East conflict, Philippine bus operators have appealed to President Ferdinand Marcos to allow them to increase ticket prices. Diesel, which powers most buses in the Southeast Asian country, has effectively doubled since the initial US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February. Despite a fare hike being approved in March, Marcos revoked the decision the following day, leaving ticket prices unchanged. The per-liter price of diesel recently surged by 8.82 pesos (approximately 14 US cents). A coalition of bus line companies warned that the soaring fuel costs could make their operations untenable. The operators are not seeking financial assistance but are requesting a fair and sustainable fare that accurately reflects the true cost of providing public transportation. With millions of Filipinos relying on buses for their daily commutes, prices range from 13 to 15 pesos for the first five kilometers and increase by about three pesos for each additional kilometer. The Philippine transportation department stated that it hopes to make a positive decision on a rate hike in the coming days. The Philippines, which heavily imports fuel, declared a national energy emergency in March and has had to rely on oil purchases from various sources, including Russia. Unlike neighboring countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, the Philippines does not regulate fuel prices, leaving local transport companies to bear the brunt of market fluctuations. Marcos' administration previously provided a one-time subsidy of 10,000 pesos per vehicle for bus operators in March, as well as separate financial support for taxi drivers and jeepney operators. The energy department reported on Tuesday that the country currently has a 57-day reserve of diesel and enough petrol for 56 days.",
  "summary": "The cost of diesel, which powers most of the Southeast Asian country's buses, has effectively doubled since the start of the Middle East war.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Philippine bus lines press Marcos for rate hike as fuel prices soar",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/philippine-bus-lines-press-marcos-for-rate-hike-as-fuel-prices-soar",
        "published": "2026-09-22T07:30:09.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}