The Philippines is uniquely exposed to the surging oil price caused by the war in the Middle East. The government is facing protests and widespread anger
J
ayson Naga is a tricycle taxi driver on the streets of Manila. In a normal day he brings home P500 (US$8) to feed his four children. But these days he is struggling. He requires four litres of gasoline a day to ferry his passengers around the city and the 60% surge in fuel prices has wiped out nearly a third of his take home pay.
“If gas prices go up any further, there will be nothing left for us,” he told the Guardian. His family’s only luxury – driving to air-conditioned malls on weekends to escape the heat – was the first to go.
The Philippines imports almost all of its crude oil from the Middle East. The government became the first in the world to declare a national energy emergency over the oil crisis triggered by the war in the Middle East, and public outcry over the response to soaring fuel prices and supply issues has spilled into the streets.
