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MARCOS IN ‘BALANCING ACT’ OVER USE OF FUEL EXCISE TAX POWER By Thony Rose Lesaca THE Marcos administration’s move to adopt a wait-and-see stance on the issue of excise taxes on petroleum products underscores a delicate balancing act between providing con-
sumer relief and maintaining fiscal stability, experts said. Meanwhile, the Philippine government faces a potential revenue loss of more than P100 billion as lawmakers move to suspend fuel excise taxes to shield consumers
from surging pump prices. The analysts said excise tax revenues on petroleum products were not earmarked for specific government programs, but formed part of the government’s general revenues and help fund priority programs.
According to Philippine Institute for Development Studies senior research fellow John Paolo Rivera, fuel excise taxes contribute to overall government revenues. Under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law, how-
ever, a portion of these collections supports social mitigating measures. These include the Pantawid Pasada program, cash transfers to vulnerable households, and public transport modernization efforts. Next page
MMDA says jeep driver’s strike did not impact transport By Joel E. Zurbano
VOL. XL • NO. 38 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2026
Peso hits record low at P60.10: $1
THE public transport strike yesterday had no significant impact on commuters, based on the initial assessment of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). The agency said traffic flow across the National Capital Region remained normal during the morning rush. “We have been monitoring at the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at the MMDA Metrobase since 5 a.m. Traffic is normal, and no stranded commuters were monitored during the morning rush hours,” said MMDA General Man-
ager Nicolas Torre III. PISTON and its allies however declared the strike a success, claiming it paralyzed about 90% of major routes in Metro Manila where strike centers were established. Similar protests and strikes were also held in key provinces and cities in Southern Tagalog, Bicol, Panay, Cebu, and Negros. Meanwhile, the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) criticized the decision of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to withdraw the planned fare
• Groups blast flip-flopping on excise tax
Next page
Analyst fears oil shortage; gov’t boosts reserve
By Thony Rose Lesaca, Alena Mae Flores, Katrina Manubay
HE • 300k barrels Philippine arriving next peso week – DOE plummeted to a new record low • Coal imports of 60.10 against the US dollar may restart, Thursday, losing 58 centavos from says PBBM Wednesday’s • No shortage close of 59.52 in agri supply as intensifying external pressures until July—DA weighed on the domestic market and the government scrambles to shore up supplies amid hostilities in the Middle East.
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Data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines showed the local currency opened at 59.90 against the greenback and touched an intraday low of 60.40. Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) senior research fellow John Paolo Rivera said escalating oil prices increase the demand for dollars to fund imports while risk-off sentiment continues to bolster the greenback. Next page
PAIN WITHOUT GAIN. Public utility vehicle drivers, joined by women and youth activists, rally along Aurora Boulevard in Quezon City to demand an end to steep oil price hikes and call for the scrapping of the Oil Deregulation Law. Inset shows trucks ready to roll out if needed to ferry stranded passengers. Teddy Brul, Norman Cruz
Oil prices soar; Iran hits Qatar, Saudi, Kuwait energy facilities ENERGY prices soared and stocks sank Thursday as Iran attacked several Gulf energy facilities and warned of more in retaliation for a strike on one of its key gas fields. Qatar reported “extensive” damage to the site of the world’s largest liquefied natural
gas facility following Iranian strikes, sparking fears for global energy supplies and fresh threats from United States President Donald Trump against Iran. Tehran carried out attacks on Qatar’s huge Ras Laffan LNG facility in retaliation for an Israeli
strike Wednesday on Iran’s South Pars gas field, part of the world’s largest natural gas reservoir. Trump warned Iran to stop attacks on Qatar, threatening to “massively blow up the entirety of the Next page
VP Sara to skip House hearings; prepping for Senate impeach trial By Maricel V. Cruz and Katrina Manubay THE camp of Vice President Sara Duterte has said she is gearing up to face a full-blown impeachment trial at the Senate. Meanwhile, Michael Poa, one of the Vice President’s legal
counsels, said he has not spoken with the Vice President, but added she might not attend the committee hearings. He told ANC in an interview that they have advised their client to skip the hearings since “there’s nothing to gain” in the proceedings which Luistro called a “mini-trial.” Next page
ON TO BRAZIL. Team Philippines books its ticket yesterday for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil after blanking Uzbekistan, 2-0, at the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Gold Coast, Australia. PFF
PBBM checks out prefab units for classrooms House bill pushes for no fees
DIGITAL LEARNING. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. leans over to look at what
a high school student is working on with her new tablet at the Mariveles National High School–Alasasin Annex. Some 300 learning tablets were distributed as part of 9,660 to be deployed in 66 schools. PCO
for reconnection of services
By Katrina Manubay
FILIPINAS STUN UZBEKS, PUNCH TICKET TO BRAZIL SPORTS / A8
PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Thursday visited Mariveles, Bataan, to inspect newly installed prefabricated classrooms, highlighting the government’s focus on faster, innovative modular solutions to address the urgent classroom shortage. Next page
By Maricel V. Cruz A BILL filed on Thursday at the House of Representatives seeks to prohibit the collection of reconnection fees for electricity, water, telecommunications, and internet services, as rising fuel costs continue to drive up the cost of
essential utilities. House Bill 8706, the proposed “No Reconnection Fee Act,” seeks to ensure that once consumers have fully settled their outstanding balances, service restoration is not subject to additional charges, in line with efforts to ease the Next page