President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday highlighted the administration’s assistance programs for the transport sector to cushion the impact of high global oil prices brought about by the Middle East crisis.

In his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) before a joint session of Congress at the Batasang Pambansa, Marcos said the transport sector was among the hardest hit by the fuel price surge, prompting the government to roll out various interventions to ease the burden on millions of Filipinos.

“Ang sektor ng transportasyon ang pinakamatinding tinamaan ng epekto ng krisis. Tsuper, operator, pasahero, manggagawa, o negosyo man — lahat ay umaray sa matarik na pagtaas ng presyo ng produktong petrolyo,” President Marcos said. “Ngunit hindi natin kayang hayaang tumigil o maantala ito, dahil ito’y nagsisilbing piston ng ating ekonomiya.”

Among the measures implemented by the administration were cash assistance for public utility drivers through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program and a P10-per-liter diesel subsidy for public utility jeepneys and UV Express vehicles to lessen the impact of rising fuel costs.

According to the President, more than 1.8 million public transport drivers received financial assistance under AICS.

To support commuters, the government launched free ride (Libreng Sakay) services, with several government agencies deploying their vehicles to augment public transportation.

Marcos likewise cited the revival of the Service Contracting Program for public buses and jeepneys, which provides qualified operators and drivers with additional income based on the distance they travel while serving passengers.

On the part of riding public, regular commuters receive a 20 percent fare discount, while students, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities enjoy a total fare discount of 40 percent.

The President also highlighted the implementation of the TUPAD Tuloy-Pasada program, which provided additional livelihood opportunities and income support for public utility drivers.

“Sa mga programang ito pa lang, milyong-milyong Pilipino — drayber man o pasahero — ang nakaramdam ng kaunting ginhawa sa kanilang mga biyahe araw-araw mula nang ito’y nailunsad. Hindi lamang dito sa Metro Manila, kundi sa buong bansa,” Marcos said.

In Metro Manila, the government continues to implement a 50 percent fare discount for passengers of the MRT-3 and LRT-2, in addition to special fare discounts offered on Sundays and during holidays.

The administration also temporarily reduced or waived various fees in airports and seaports, including terminal, landing, takeoff, harbor, anchorage, berthing, and storage fees, to lower transport and logistics costs.

Among the measures cited by the President were the temporary waiver of terminal fees at the Port of Cebu, reduced passenger service charges at airports, and the three-month suspension of terminal fees for public utility vehicles at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX).

The government also provided toll discounts on expressways and significantly reduced terminal fees for agricultural products transported via roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) vessels—from P500 to just PhP1. Trucks accredited by the Department of Agriculture were likewise granted toll-free passage on expressways.

Marcos said these interventions provided relief to millions of Filipinos, including drivers, commuters, students, workers, farmers, and other sectors affected by volatile fuel prices. Presidential News Desk