FILE

Motorists, here’s some good news to lighten your load. Starting Tuesday, April 15, expect a major rollback in fuel prices. And yes, it’s perfect timing for anyone planning a Holy Week road trip.

In separate advisories, Caltex, Cleanfuel, Seaoil, and Shell all announced they’ll be slashing gasoline prices by PHP3.60 per liter and diesel by PHP2.90 per liter. If you’re using kerosene, you’ll also see a cut of PHP3.30 per liter at Caltex, Seaoil, and Shell stations.

The price drops kick in as early as 6 a.m. on April 15, and other oil players are expected to follow the trend.

Currently, according to the Department of Energy (DOE), prices in Metro Manila range from:
• Gasoline: PHP50 to PHP73.75 per liter
• Diesel: PHP49 to PHP74.74 per liter
• Kerosene: PHP69 to PHP83.19 per liter

So, yes—this rollback is a big deal.

The DOE also shared that, year-to-date, we’ve still seen a total net increase of:
• PHP4.55/liter for gasoline
• PHP4.45/liter for diesel
• PHP0.40/liter for kerosene

So this upcoming rollback is a bit of a breather.

Why the sudden drop? It all ties back to global oil prices. Last week, global benchmarks like West Texas Intermediate and Brent crude took a dive—down by 4.62% and 4.12%, respectively. One major reason? Escalating trade tensions between the US and China, which caused a ripple effect in the energy market.

And just to add fuel (or less of it?) to the fire, OPEC+ announced they’re thinking about ramping up crude oil production—a move that typically drives prices down even further.

So, whether you’re planning a long drive to the province or just heading out of town for a quick breather, it’s good to know you’ll be spending less at the pump this week.