Economy

Pump Price Pain Eases a Bit, Pero Diesel Hike Is Still Coming

Motorists may get a tiny breather next week, but hindi pa rin tapos ang sakit sa bulsa. The Manila Times reported that diesel prices are still expected to rise by around P11 to P12 per liter, while gasoline may either stay flat or climb by about P3.

Tabloid PH Newsdesk

Mar 28, 2026 — 1 min read

Photo: The Manila Times

The estimate was based on four days of trading in Mean of Platts Singapore, the benchmark used for refined products in the region. Even with the smaller projected jump, this would still mark the 11th straight week of increases for both diesel and gasoline.

An industry source told the paper that the expected increase is not as brutal as previous weeks because there are signs the Middle East conflict could de-escalate, helping pull crude benchmarks lower. In short, humuhupa nang kaunti ang pressure, but not enough to stop another hike.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also said he is open to proposals such as repealing the Oil Deregulation Law and removing value-added tax on fuel, though he stressed that any major legal changes would need long discussions and cannot be done right away. For now, Malacañang says the focus is on faster, more immediate relief steps.

The report also noted growing pressure in Congress and the Senate: Senate President Vicente Sotto III filed a bill to repeal the deregulation law, while Senator Bam Aquino said lawmakers are studying a measure that could let the president suspend or cut VAT on fuel. So yes, mas maliit ang posibleng taas, but consumers are still staring at another expensive week.

Source: The Manila Times — https://www.manilatimes.net/2026/03/28/news/national/smaller-fuel-prices-increases-seen/2309503

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Jessica Soho Gets Big Honor, Pero Mas Lalong G na Magbantay

Bare-Bones Pero Tuloy: ASEAN Summit Trimmed as Oil Crisis Bites

$1-B Farm Lifeline, Pasok: PH Agriculture Gets Big World Bank Boost

JOLIN on SB19’s “Emoji”: Parang Blind Date That Turned Into Real Creative Chemistry