Brace for as much as ₱80/liter fuel price

Department of Energy (DOE) warning of legal action against retailers that hoard supplies or inflate prices.

- 

OIL PRICE HIKE LOOMS A gasoline station in Quezon City receives a fresh supply on Friday, March 6, 2026. A double-digit increase in oil prices is expected next week. (Santi San Juan)

(Santi San Juan)

Following reports of irregularities from the DOE's Cebu field office, Energy Secretary Sharon Garin told reporters that any price adjustments beyond legitimate market fluctuations are "inhumane and anti-Filipino.

Monitoring teams in Cebu earlier identified gasoline stations that had unilaterally raised prices, while other operators allegedly refused to sell products to motorists, a practice often used to preserve inventory for sale at higher future prices.

The government is prepared to police all gasoline stations to ensure players do not take advantage of the public's suffering, Garin said.

The price volatility stems from a deterioration in the terms of trade for energy-importing nations across Asia. Oxford Economics noted that the region is increasingly exposed to the conflict involving Iran, placing acute pressure on domestic fuel supplies.

As the Philippines relies heavily on MOPS as its primary pricing reference, any disruption in crude flows or refinery output in the region translates directly to higher costs for local consumers.