Philippine jeepney drivers protest as rising fuel prices cut their pay

The ripple effects of the war in the Middle East are hitting home hard for Philippine jeepney driver Toni Prado, whose daily earnings have been gutted by soaring fuel prices. He was one of thousands of jeepney drivers who took to the streets across the country on Thursday to protest a more than doubling of local diesel prices after global oil prices surged because of the U.S.-Israel war on Iran.



"We are losing our income. What we earn just goes to paying for diesel," said Prado.



The Philippines relies heavily on Middle Eastern oil, and the surge in fuel prices is threatening to stoke inflation in the consumption-driven economy. Like many of its Southeast Asian neighbours, Manila has taken steps such as shortening the work week and providing fuel subsidies to counter the impact of rising costs. This week, Congress granted the president emergency powers to suspend or reduce fuel taxes.