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VOL. XL • NO. 29 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2026
WITH UN’S GUTERRES. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. joins United Nations
Secretary-General António Guterres for a photo op at the UN Headquarters in New York after a bilateral meeting covering various topics, including the Philippines’ bid for a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council, with elections set for June 3, 2026. PCO
Diesel may breach P100/l next week
Another round of oil price hikes seen PBBM to certify as urgent bill to slash, suspend fuel excise tax • Iran: Not one liter By Alena Mae S. Flores, Charles Dantes and Ram Superable
By Charles Dantes, Maricel V. Cruz and Othel V. Campos
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will certify as urgent a proposed emergency measure to slash fuel excise taxes to shield Filipinos from surging global oil prices amid escalating tensions in the Middle East. This as the House Committee on
Ways and Means on Tuesday approved a substitute bill authorizing the President to suspend or reduce excise taxes. Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said the Office of the Executive Secretary, the Department of Finance, and the Office of the President are coordinating to move the legislative process forward. “Once it is completed and a commitNext page
D
IESEL prices will likely breach the P100 per liter of oil from Gulf mark next week with another will be exported round of fuel price hikes of as much as P21 per liter, industry sources warned yesterday.
Based on the Mean of Platts Singapore movement as of Monday, sources said consumers can ex-
pect diesel to increase by P20 to P21 per liter, gasoline by P16 to P17 per liter, and kerosene by P9 to P10 per liter. This would follow this week’s un-
precedented price hikes that will be staggered in as much as seven days, depending on the brand, with diesel prices moving between P17.50 to P24.25 per liter, gasoline by P7 to P13 per liter, and kerosene by P32 to P38.50 per liter. Next week’s increases may move pump prices to about P83 to P106.19 per liter for diesel, P70.10 to P90.40 per liter for gasoline, and P102.17 to P135.17 for kerosene. In a radio interview, Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said expects the Next page
Meralco raises electric rates; airlines poised to hike fares By Darwin G. Amojelar and Alena Mae S. Flores PHILIPPINE air carriers have warned of looming airfare hikes as Middle East tensions drive up fuel costs and necessitate costly flight rerouting. Meanwhile, the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) announced an increase of P0.6427 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in electricity rates this March, raising the overall rate for a typical household to P13.8161 per kWh, up from P13.1734 in February. In another development, some shipping companies have already increased their fares amid the ongoing tensions in the Middle East affect global crude oil supply. The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) however, said ship operators may raise fares by up to 20 percent only during a crisis and must notify the public in advance. “Our airlines are very concerned about the impact of the war on the global economy and the welfare of our fellow Filipinos in the Middle East
NO LETUP. A fuel pump attendant updates the price board yesterday following the implementation of the latest fuel price increases. The adjustment reflects higher pump prices driven by rising global crude oil costs amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, which have raised concerns over possible supply disruptions. Norman Cruz
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Gov’t charters flight to evacuate OFWS from war-torn Middle East By Charles Dantes and Vito Barcelo MALACAÑANG on Tuesday said the Marcos administration is arranging chartered flights to fetch overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from the Middle East, with one flight from Saudi Arabia expected to depart as early as Saturday, March 14.
Meanwhile, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) warned its personnel abroad to properly assist overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). The warning was raised after recalling one of its staff from the Philippine Embassy in Bahrain over a viral video showing the employee shooing away Filipinos asking for assistance. Presidential Communications Office
(PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro said authorities are coordinating chartered repatriation flights for OFWs stranded in the region, including one departing from Riyadh and another from the United Arab Emirates that is still being finalized. According to Castro, another chartered repatriation flight is being ar-
ranged from the United Arab Emirates as part of the government’s continuing efforts to bring home Filipinos affected by travel disruptions and security concerns in parts of the Middle East. She added that the chartered operations will be financed through the Emergency Repatriation Fund being
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday called for stronger global action to advance gender equality, emphasizing that empowering women is essential to national development and addressing the
LIGHTING UP THE NIGHT SKY. The night sky lights up at the opening of the Philippine International Pyromusical Competition as France’s LUX Factory and Italy’s Martarello Group S.R.L. launch a dazzling showdown at the bayside SM Mall of Asia, delivering a maxed out fireworks experience.
By Maricel V. Cruz
world’s most pressing challenges. Speaking at the 70th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations headquarters, Mr. Marcos said the status of women remains “one of the most fundamental
THE 40-strong National Unity Party (NUP) on Tuesday denied reports that the party was in talks with the House leadership with regard to the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte. “Press reports regarding supposed meetings between the National Unity Party (NUP) and the Speaker or Majority Leader Sandro Marcos are not true,” the NUP, chaired by Senior Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno of Antipolo City, said. The NUP said it has not had any talks with the House leadership regarding impeachment, projects, or anything related to such. The Standard has reached out to both House leaders
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Marcos calls for stronger global action to advance gender rights By Charles Dantes
NUP denies talks with House leaders on VP impeachment
ANTHROPIC SUES US GOV’T OVER LIST
PSEI SURGES AS US SIGNALS END TO WAR
WORLD / A6
BUSINESS / B2