Manibela to hold 2-day transport strike on July 22-23

Mar Valbuena, chair of the group Manibela, holds a press conference in this undated photo at the group’s headquarters in Sta. Mesa, Manila. Manibela announced Tuesday, July 21, that the group will hold a two-day transport strike on July 22-23. Photo by Gillian Villanueva MANILA, Philippines — Transport group Manibela will hold a two-day transport strike on July 22-23, 2026 to protest the series of oil price hikes and the continued suspension of fare increases for public utility vehicles, the group announced on Tuesday. The strike comes after diesel and kerosene prices posted fresh double-digit increases amid the ongoing tensions in the Middle East. READ: Diesel, kerosene post new double-digit price jumps Article continues after this advertisement The Department of Energy (DOE) has once again imposed price adjustments on petroleum products, with fuel companies allowed to implement a maximum hike of P10.68 per liter for diesel, P3.65 per liter for gasoline, and P11.77 per liter for kerosene. In an advisory, Manibela criticized DOE for merely explaining the increases instead of holding oil companies accountable and protecting consumers. “Due to the continuous failure of DOE to protect the public interest and failure to implement fare increase, MANIBELA will conduct a 2-day transport strike on Wednesday and Thursday on July 22-23, 2026,” the group said. In a message to the INQUIRER, Manibela Chairperson Mar Valbuena said that the group’s strike center will be setp up at the Petron station along Philippine Coconut Authority (Philcoa) in Quezon City at 7 a.m. on Thursday. READ: Manibela starts 3-day strike, hits gov’t ‘band-aid solutions’ Article continues after this advertisement Energy Secretary Sharon Garin earlier said the government would ensure there would be no hoarding or overpricing of fuel products, but acknowledged that global oil prices remain beyond the country’s control. Meanwhile, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) had approved fare increases for jeepneys, buses, airport taxis and transport network vehicle services in March, but President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. suspended their implementation before they took effect. Article continues after this advertisement The INQUIRER sought the comment of Garin regarding Manibela’s statements. It has yet to receive a response as of this writing. /dp Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again. Your subscription has been successful.