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Advocates Philippines
MANIBELA Launches 2-Day Strike Over Rising Fuel Prices
SCREENGRAB FROM MANIBELA
Transport group MANIBELA will stage a two-day nationwide transport strike on July 22 and 23 as drivers and operators protest the continued increase in fuel prices and call on the government to provide immediate relief to the public transport sector.
In a Facebook post, the group urged its members to gather at its strike center at Petron Philcoa in Quezon City beginning 6 a.m. on Wednesday.
"Mga ka-MANIBELA magkita-kita po tayong lahat bukas sa Strike Center sa Petron Philcoa July 22, 6 a.m. onwards. Ipagtanggol ang Kabuhayan! Pasensya na po dahil biglaan ang patawag," the group said.
In a separate announcement, MANIBELA confirmed that the transport strike would last for two days, saying the sector could no longer remain silent amid the continuous oil price hikes that have severely affected drivers' livelihoods.
"Hindi na maaaring manahimik ang transport sector habang tila pinababayaan ng Department of Energy (DOE) ang sunod-sunod na oil price hike na nagpapalubog sa kabuhayan ng mga tsuper at ordinaryong Pilipino," the group said.
MANIBELA accused the Department of Energy (DOE) of failing to protect consumers and the transport sector from successive oil price increases. It also called for an investigation into reports that some gasoline stations allegedly ran out of fuel supplies ahead of the latest round of oil price hikes.
"Sa halip na mahigpit na bantayan at papanagutin ang mga oil companies, nagiging kuntento na lamang ang DOE sa pagpapaliwanag ng bawat pagtaas ng presyo. Ngayon, may mga ulat pa ng mga gasolinahang naubusan ng suplay bago ang big time oil price hike. Nararapat itong agarang imbestigahan!" the group said.
MANIBELA said it decided to hold the July 22-23 strike because of what it described as the DOE's failure to protect the public's interest and the government's continued delay in approving a fare increase for public utility vehicles.
"Hindi na kami ang dapat mag-adjust. Panahon nang managot ang DOE at ang mga oil companies!" the group added.
The protest comes after oil companies implemented another round of fuel price increases this week, adding to the financial burden of public utility vehicle drivers already grappling with higher operating costs.
MANIBELA has repeatedly called for a fare increase, expanded fuel subsidies, and stronger government intervention to cushion the impact of rising fuel prices. The group said many drivers are struggling to earn enough to cover fuel expenses, vehicle maintenance, boundary payments, and their families' daily needs.
Labor coalition Laban Manggagawa also expressed support for the planned transport strike, saying the drivers' demands are justified amid the continued increase in fuel prices and the lack of long-term government solutions.
In a statement, the coalition said drivers do not stop working unless they have no other choice, noting that every day they are unable to operate means lost income that could have been used for food, vehicle payments, and household expenses.
The labor group said the issue goes beyond fare adjustments and reflects a broader livelihood crisis affecting transport workers.
It urged the government to adopt long-term policies to address volatile fuel prices, provide adequate support to the transport sector, and ensure a sustainable public transportation system without sacrificing drivers' livelihoods.
Laban Manggagawa also called on the government to engage in meaningful dialogue with transport groups, stressing that the right to protest is a fundamental part of a democratic society, particularly when workers' livelihoods are at stake.
Pablo Catorce of Arya Progresibo, one of the organizations under Laban Manggagawa, said the government should take stronger action to address rising fuel prices.
"Habang wala pang malalim na pag-aaral ang pamahalaan, dapat ibalik muna ang presyo ng produktong petrolyo sa halaga nito bago magsimula ang gyera ng US-Israel at Iran. Ang Pilipinas ang pinaka mataas na porsyento ng itinaas sa presyo ng langis simula ng magumpisa ang gyera - mas mataas pa kaysa sa US, Singapore at Japan," Catorce said.
The coalition acknowledged that commuters would likely be inconvenienced by the strike but argued that the root cause of the disruption is the continued increase in fuel prices and the absence of long-term government policies to protect both transport workers and the riding public.
MANIBELA has led several transport protests in recent years over rising fuel costs, delayed fare adjustments, and policies affecting public utility jeepney drivers and operators. The group said the latest strike is intended to pressure authorities to act on what it described as the worsening livelihood crisis facing the transport sector.
As of Tuesday evening, the Department of Energy had yet to issue a response to MANIBELA's latest allegations, while transport authorities had not yet released an official estimate of how many public utility vehicles are expected to participate in the two-day strike.
In a Facebook post, the group urged its members to gather at its strike center at Petron Philcoa in Quezon City beginning 6 a.m. on Wednesday.
"Mga ka-MANIBELA magkita-kita po tayong lahat bukas sa Strike Center sa Petron Philcoa July 22, 6 a.m. onwards. Ipagtanggol ang Kabuhayan! Pasensya na po dahil biglaan ang patawag," the group said.
In a separate announcement, MANIBELA confirmed that the transport strike would last for two days, saying the sector could no longer remain silent amid the continuous oil price hikes that have severely affected drivers' livelihoods.
"Hindi na maaaring manahimik ang transport sector habang tila pinababayaan ng Department of Energy (DOE) ang sunod-sunod na oil price hike na nagpapalubog sa kabuhayan ng mga tsuper at ordinaryong Pilipino," the group said.
MANIBELA accused the Department of Energy (DOE) of failing to protect consumers and the transport sector from successive oil price increases. It also called for an investigation into reports that some gasoline stations allegedly ran out of fuel supplies ahead of the latest round of oil price hikes.
"Sa halip na mahigpit na bantayan at papanagutin ang mga oil companies, nagiging kuntento na lamang ang DOE sa pagpapaliwanag ng bawat pagtaas ng presyo. Ngayon, may mga ulat pa ng mga gasolinahang naubusan ng suplay bago ang big time oil price hike. Nararapat itong agarang imbestigahan!" the group said.
MANIBELA said it decided to hold the July 22-23 strike because of what it described as the DOE's failure to protect the public's interest and the government's continued delay in approving a fare increase for public utility vehicles.
"Hindi na kami ang dapat mag-adjust. Panahon nang managot ang DOE at ang mga oil companies!" the group added.
The protest comes after oil companies implemented another round of fuel price increases this week, adding to the financial burden of public utility vehicle drivers already grappling with higher operating costs.
MANIBELA has repeatedly called for a fare increase, expanded fuel subsidies, and stronger government intervention to cushion the impact of rising fuel prices. The group said many drivers are struggling to earn enough to cover fuel expenses, vehicle maintenance, boundary payments, and their families' daily needs.
Labor coalition Laban Manggagawa also expressed support for the planned transport strike, saying the drivers' demands are justified amid the continued increase in fuel prices and the lack of long-term government solutions.
In a statement, the coalition said drivers do not stop working unless they have no other choice, noting that every day they are unable to operate means lost income that could have been used for food, vehicle payments, and household expenses.
The labor group said the issue goes beyond fare adjustments and reflects a broader livelihood crisis affecting transport workers.
It urged the government to adopt long-term policies to address volatile fuel prices, provide adequate support to the transport sector, and ensure a sustainable public transportation system without sacrificing drivers' livelihoods.
Laban Manggagawa also called on the government to engage in meaningful dialogue with transport groups, stressing that the right to protest is a fundamental part of a democratic society, particularly when workers' livelihoods are at stake.
Pablo Catorce of Arya Progresibo, one of the organizations under Laban Manggagawa, said the government should take stronger action to address rising fuel prices.
"Habang wala pang malalim na pag-aaral ang pamahalaan, dapat ibalik muna ang presyo ng produktong petrolyo sa halaga nito bago magsimula ang gyera ng US-Israel at Iran. Ang Pilipinas ang pinaka mataas na porsyento ng itinaas sa presyo ng langis simula ng magumpisa ang gyera - mas mataas pa kaysa sa US, Singapore at Japan," Catorce said.
The coalition acknowledged that commuters would likely be inconvenienced by the strike but argued that the root cause of the disruption is the continued increase in fuel prices and the absence of long-term government policies to protect both transport workers and the riding public.
MANIBELA has led several transport protests in recent years over rising fuel costs, delayed fare adjustments, and policies affecting public utility jeepney drivers and operators. The group said the latest strike is intended to pressure authorities to act on what it described as the worsening livelihood crisis facing the transport sector.
As of Tuesday evening, the Department of Energy had yet to issue a response to MANIBELA's latest allegations, while transport authorities had not yet released an official estimate of how many public utility vehicles are expected to participate in the two-day strike.
Jul 21, 2026
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