PRRD ‘endorses’ bus, MRT, LRT rides amid soaring fuel prices

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte has a suggestion to cut down on costs amid inflated oil prices brought about by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis: Take the train.

Duterte said taking the Metro Rail Transit (MRT), Light Rail Transit (LRT), or bus would be a much cheaper option to getting around Metro Manila.

“You better learn from our practice now to ride itong mga (these) MRT, LRT because that is — that would be the single functional move — to use to move people from one place to another, or from one point to another,” he said in his prerecorded Talk to the People aired Tuesday morning.

He explained that only the rich could afford paying for increasing fuel prices and basic commodities.

Duterte said no amount of protests could change the fact that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is driving fuel prices even higher as the economy reopened from the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Maintindihan ninyo maski — maski anong sa protesta ninyo, ‘yan talaga ang presyo ng langis (I hope you understand that even if you protest, that is already the price of oil),” he said.

He appealed to the public not to resent the government for rising fuel prices, noting that it is a problem being experienced by the global economy, not just the Philippines.

“Huwag kayo ho — kayong mga driver pati everyone, huwag kayong maghihinakit na tumataas ang presyo. Lahat, all, lahat ng sa mundo tinatamaan ngayon (Drivers and everyone else, do not get angry with the government for rising fuel prices. The entire world is affected by this problem),” he added.

Duterte said consumers are likely to see high prices until the end of Russia’s invasion.

“For as long as this quarrel will stretch, matagal pa matapos, hirap na hirap tayo. Kaya ‘yung mga ano ninyo na walang — walang langis, ganoon, i-reduce (it will be long before this will be over, we will continue to suffer. That’s why just reduce your use of oil),” he added.

He expressed hope that the two countries could negotiate an end to the war.

“Ang global market factors natin is bantayan natin (Let us monitor global market factors) and I hope that this war, I said I called it a ‘stupid war’, dapat mahinto na nila (should end),” he said.

Meanwhile, Duterte also reiterated that the Philippines would remain neutral in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

“And for as long as they do not intrude into the 12-mile limit, wala naman tayong problema siguro (we probably won’t have a problem). But we know that they are here and everywhere. That is how the world operates today, precisely at this moment,” he said.

On Monday, Duterte directed the Department of Finance (DOF) to increase the amount of monthly fuel subsidy to poor families from PHP200 to PHP600 per household.

He said the PHP200 cash aid earlier approved by the DOF is “too small” and “cannot sustain” even a family of three.

The Philippines joined the rest of the world in praying for an “early and peaceful” resolution to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

To date, the government has provided mitigating measures and contingency plans in response to the ongoing crisis.