Peace talks between Iran and the United States stalled again last week, leading observers and analysts to believe the war in the Middle East will not end anytime soon. Compounded by the continued strikes on oil tankers in and around the Strait of Hormuz, oil prices in the global market have gone up again.
For the period of August 18 to 24, 2026, the price of diesel will go up by P3.84 per liter, while gasoline prices will increase by P2.49 per liter. Finally, kerosene will also have a price increase of P5.01 per liter.
Heavy rains continued to fall over Metro Manila over the past week, resulting in floods in and around the city. The large volume of water brought by the monsoon damaged recently rehabilitated parts of EDSA, prompting a strongly worded response from Secretary Vince Dizon of the Department of Public Works and Highways. The downpour also exposed several tons of garbage clogging the Redemptorist Water Channel in Baclaran, Parañaque City.
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Although the rains partially subsided in the middle of the week, extremely heavy traffic disrupted transport within the metro, causing delays of up to several hours. This was attributed to certain parts of the city still experiencing flooding, as well as the surge of private vehicles on the road to avoid the rain. With the bad weather persisting this week, everyone will need to brace for the possibility of higher fuel consumption due to total gridlock in flood-prone areas.
The increased jeepney and UV Express fuel subsidy took effect over the weekend, increasing the discount from P10 per liter to P12 per liter. The weekly 150-liter cap per driver remains in effect. The government reminds the subsidy’s beneficiaries that maximizing the discount results in savings of up to P1,800 every week.
