MANILA — The Marcos administration is implementing additional measures to cushion commuters, drivers and transport operators from rising fuel prices amid continuing tensions in the Middle East, the Palace said.

Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the government is pursuing measures to ease the impact of higher fuel costs while preventing the burden from being passed on to commuters.

Quoting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez, Castro said, “Pinipiga pa muna natin ang gobyerno kung ano pang puwedeng gawin para makatulong sa mga tsuper at transport operator na hindi ipasa sa mga commuters ang pasanin.”

“Kung pagtaas ng pamasahe ay sana maging last resort natin. Tuloy-tuloy pa rin ang DOTr initiatives para maibsan ang pagtaas ng presyo ng langis, tulad ng fuel discount, free toll sa mga buses,” Castro quoted Lopez as saying.

During an UPLIFT meeting last week with Acting Executive Secretary Ralph Recto, officials also discussed providing targeted assistance to transport groups through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), Castro said.

Updated initiatives of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) include subsidies for drivers and operators, toll exemptions for provincial buses and an extension of the terminal fee waiver for public utility vehicles (PUVs) at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) until the end of the year.

The government is also continuing the monthly terminal fee waiver in 86 SM public transport terminals nationwide.

Other measures include a 50-percent discount on fares at the MRT-3 and LRT-2, a 50-percent discount on the P1 Ro-Ro terminal fee, and the Libreng Sakay program involving various government agencies.

Meanwhile, Castro said the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) and economic team’s recommendation to suspend the oil excise tax could be forwarded to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. “most probably by this week.”