Published on 26 March 2026
Manila, Philippines – For years, Metro Manila’s transportation congestion has been notorious, with it ranking among the worst globally in 2024, according to the TomTom Traffic Index. In 2021, a study by AltMobility and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation found that commuters spent 188 hours a year sitting in traffic, costing the economy half a billion dollars.
However, these days, according to Google Maps, the 26 km (16.2 mi) drive from Manila Airport to Quezon City Hall can be accomplished in as little as 45 minutes instead of the usual two hours. But this has nothing to do with the country’s transport experts magically solving a decades-old problem.
Since the United States and Israel launched their joint military operation against Iran about a month ago, fuel prices have risen sharply, leaving the streets of the Philippine capital suddenly empty of many vehicles — reminiscent of the COVID lockdown five years ago.
On a typical Wednesday, the Baclaran Church in Manila is filled with crowds. Amidst the constant flow of congregants, jasmine flower vendors jostle for position with barbecue vendors and transport barkers. It is a weekly routine for many Catholic devotees.
But on March 25, the first day of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s annual national energy emergency declaration, the usual festive chaos outside the Romanesque-style temple was almost gone, with public transportation vehicles blaring their horns. Jeepneys are called, silent. The arrival of Holy Week commemorating the suffering and death of Jesus, one of the most sacred holidays for Filipinos, added to the gloom.
Outside the church premises, 27-year-old parking attendant Ruben stood and waited for more customers. He was working more than 12 hours, starting at three in the morning on Wednesday, and barely managed to earn about $6 in tips, less than half his usual collection. This, he said, means an empty stomach for his family.
Emily Ruado, 59, a mother of four children, has the same dilemma. The paper napkin seller told Al Jazeera that from a daily income of as little as $10, his take-home money has dropped to about $5 following the rise in oil prices. “We are barely surviving,” she said.
Ruben and Emily’s financial dilemma reflects an even bigger headache for the Philippines, as concerns over a sharp rise in the prices of basic goods and the sudden loss of jobs for thousands of people could quickly bring the economy to a halt. Just before the Iran War began, the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) was predicted to grow at 5 percent. This is now becoming more unlikely.
Meanwhile, with fewer buses, jeepneys and passenger vehicles running on the roads, the number of passengers using Manila’s limited railway network has increased, causing rush-hour bottlenecks at metro stations – highlighting the train system’s grave inadequacies, while also reminding the public of the billion-dollar infrastructure corruption scandal that still plagues the country.
