Fuel crisis hits Cordillera: Supplies tighten, but vegetable prices fall

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – Fuel supply strain is beginning to affect Cordillera, with station stockouts, purchase limits, and thinning transport options causing concerns among locals.

As of Wednesday, March 25, police data showed that 415 out of 14,269 gas stations nationwide were temporarily not operational due to supply constraints, with the Cordillera Administrative Region recording the highest number of closures.

Based on data from the Police Regional Office-Cordillera, a total of 79 gas stations in the Cordillera were reported closed as of Friday, March 27, broken down as follows: Kalinga with 26, Benguet with 18, Mountain Province with 15, Ifugao with 12, Abra with 6, and Baguio City with 2.

Separate monitoring by the Baguio City Police Office from March 24 to 26 showed that at least four stations experienced “out of stock” conditions, with more than 10 recorded instances across different time periods, particularly among smaller and independent retailers, indicating tightening supply even among stations that remain operational.

Even among operational stations, purchase limits are starting to reshape daily routines. Business groups have raised concerns over reported fuel caps of around 20 liters per transaction, warning these could disrupt delivery operations and affect the flow of goods into the city and surrounding provinces.

The strain is also being felt on the streets.

As early as 3 pm on Thursday, March 26, queues for jeepneys in Baguio had grown unusually long. The line for Quirino Hill routes stretched up to the Baguio Market Hangar, roughly half a kilometer from the terminal. Similar queues formed for routes bound for Loakan-Apugan, Kias, the Philippine Military Academy, Asin Road, and Irisan.

These are areas that are several kilometers away, distances that are not realistically walkable for most commuters.

In an open letter posted on social media by user GorgeousFlamingo7566, which has since gained over 2,200 reactions and been shared more than 200 times, one commuter described the daily grind: “What used to be a simple commute has become a daily burden. After a full day’s work, we are left standing, waiting for jeepneys that never seem to have space,” the writer said. “For someone earning P400 a day, taxis are a luxury. One ride could already take a significant portion of what I earned.”

“So we wait. We wait because we have no choice.”

For some routes, evening cutoff times were shortened from 9 pm to as early as 7 pm due to the lack of available jeepneys. Police and the city’s public order and safety division had to deploy vehicles to help stranded commuters.

Impact on drivers

For drivers, the impact is immediate.

Jun Gomez, a jeepney driver from La Trinidad, Benguet, said the limits mean fewer trips and tighter margins. “Kung 20 liters lang, pipili ka kung ilang pasada. Hindi mo na mababawi lahat (If we’re only allowed 20 liters, you will choose your rides. You cannot earn enough to compensate for the trips),” he said, noting that rising fuel costs are already eating into daily earnings.

Across Cordillera, local governments have begun aligning with national directives under the declared energy emergency, rolling out conservation measures, limiting nonessential travel, and preparing fuel allocation systems to prioritize critical sectors such as transport, food distribution, and health services.

In Mountain Province, all Lang-ay Festival 2026 activities have been canceled to conserve energy and redirect resources, reflecting how authorities are scaling down major events as they brace for possible supply disruptions.

On the supply side, meanwhile, a different story is unfolding. Data from the Benguet Agri-Pinoy Trading Center as of March 27 showed that wholesale vegetable prices have generally declined despite the ongoing fuel crisis.

Several key commodities posted sharp drops compared to earlier in the month. Snap beans, which reached P80 to P85 per kilo on March 20, fell to P20 to P25 by March 27. Cucumbers dropped from P70 to P80 to around P40 to P45, with lower grades going as low as P5 to P10. Chayote declined to as low as P3 to P10.

Cabbage and carrots remained relatively stable, while bell peppers stayed high at P150 to P170 per kilo, reflecting tighter supply for some varieties.

Market observers attribute the overall decline to increased harvest volumes and improved weather conditions, suggesting that supply has, for now, outpaced added cost pressures from fuel.

A farmer from Atok, Benguet, a member of the Caliking Farmers Cooperative who requested anonymity, said prices at the trading post do not always reflect the costs they face.

“Bumababa presyo, pero gasolina pataas. Kailangan pa rin naming magbenta kahit maliit kita (The prices went down, but the fuel prices are high. We still need to sell our goods even with lower profit),” he said.

Saturnina Batonan Tosay, an organic farmer from Loo, Buguias, Benguet, said the mismatch between rising costs and falling farmgate prices is becoming harder to sustain.

“How can we cope with such high costs when vegetable prices are very low? Farmers are already out of budget. We also have children going to school depending on our harvest,” she said.

The gap between farmgate and retail prices remains, with additional costs for transport, handling, and intermediaries pushing prices higher in Baguio, nearby towns, and Metro Manila markets.

Local government actions

In Baguio, anticipating a possible escalation, the city government has formed a crisis management committee composed of fuel retailers and key sectors, including food distributors, hospitals, transport groups, and business representatives.

Mayor Benjamin Magalong said the city is preparing fuel prioritization mechanisms in case rationing becomes necessary, with essential sectors such as hospitals, emergency services, food distributors, and public utility vehicles given priority.

He added that the city is also studying regulated fuel purchases in containers, particularly for businesses relying on generators amid scheduled power interruptions. Establishments may be required to present permits to justify usage.

Alongside supply management, the city is pushing energy conservation measures, including a four-day workweek, reduced electricity consumption targets, limits on air-conditioning use, and a shift to online meetings to reduce travel and fuel demand.

Barangays are being encouraged to organize carpool systems, promote walking and biking, and share resources such as generators during outages.

To cushion the impact, the city has rolled out financial assistance for transport workers, targeting 1,912 drivers who may receive P5,000 each under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program.

Officials, however, are warning residents across the region to prepare for a prolonged disruption.

Magalong said the energy emergency could last for weeks, and even if global tensions ease, fuel supply and prices may take months to stabilize. “This is not martial law. It is a targeted response to an energy crisis,” he said. – Rappler.com