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MANILA, Philippines — Motorcycle taxi drivers in Metro Manila say rising fuel prices are sharply reducing their take-home earnings, forcing some to cut back on trips or consider joining planned transport protests this week.
Several riders point to how the price spike in crude products affects their daily operations, causing diminished income.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has declared a national energy emergency, citing risks to the country’s energy supply as global oil markets tighten. Some oil firms are even expected to increase 146.85% from current prices if fuel surges do not stop by May.
For riders like Henrico Buensalida, a Move It driver and father of one, fuel now takes up a large share of daily income, altering his family's daily quality of life.
He said unleaded gasoline at his usual station has reached about P99 per liter. To keep his motorcycle running for a full day, he spends around P600, or roughly P60% of his earnings, in fuel.
“Kaya lang sa ngayon, hindi talaga sapat. Sa pagkain pa lang, tapos ah gas din,” he said in an interview with Philstar.com. (Right now, it’s really not enough. Just for food alone, and then there's gas too.)
For someone with a family, the P600 per-day earnings are not enough, especially with children.
“Sa isang araw sa bata, siguro nasa ano na P200 na sa bata pa lang,” he said. (In a day, I probably spend around P200 just for the child alone.)
John Aris Pequeño, another rider, said the full cost of a full tank has more than doubled, from about P200 before to as much as P450. This spike in overhead comes at a time when bookings are reportedly becoming more scarce.
“Nakukulangan na ako dun kasi siyempre mga bayarin nag-ulog ng motor tapos upa kuryente sa hindi sapat ba sa gastos sa araw-araw,” he told Philstar.com. (I already find it lacking because of course there are bills to pay, motorcycle installments, then rent and electricity, so it’s really not enough for daily expenses.)
Fewer bookings, shifting work patterns
Most of the riders also reported a decline in bookings, further reducing income.
Tom Jones Guinaban said the situation has affected drivers' motivication to out on the road to work due to the financial pressure.
Worse, customers can also tend to cancel their bookings at the last minute.
“Kasi 'yun nga sa patuloy na pagtaas ng gasolina minsan parang ayaw ko na rin lumabas,” he said. (Because of the continuous rise in gasoline prices, sometimes I feel like I don't even want to go out anymore.)
To cope, Guinaban said that he prefers working the night shift to avoid fuel-consuming traffic, despite the increased safety risks.
Others, like Pequeño, began to be more selective, asking customers to cancel "long pick-up" bookings, where the distance to reach the passenger is too great to justify the fuel cost.
Strike participation eyed
Transport groups said motorcycle taxi drivers and transport network vehicle service (TNVS) operators may join a planned transport strike on March 26 and 27.
This protest, which includes participation from some TNVS drivers, serves as a collective expression of frustration over the government's response to the ongoing surge in fuel prices, according to the groups.
Defend Job Philippines spokesperson Ted Lazaro said around 5,000 TNVS drivers are expected to participate.
Some motorcycle taxi groups have also committed to a "digital strike" by going offline and rejecting bookings.
According to the latest data released by the Department of Energy for the week of March 24 to 30, 2026, the estimated pump price ranges following recent price increases are set at P87.69 to P112.40 for RON 97, P83.10 to P09.78 for RON 95, and P82.60 to P102.50 for RON 91.
During the same period, diesel is expected to retail between P107.00 and P134.30, while Diesel Plus ranges from P114.99 to P144.20, and kerosene prices are estimated to hover between P111.99 and P165.79.
