CHAIRMAN Jefferson Cheng of Barangay AZKCO in Baguio City spearheads a fuel assistance project for Public Utility Jeepney drivers on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (Zaldy Comanda)
BAGUIO CITY – One-hundred jeepney drivers received free gasoline from a barangay here to help ease the impact of the oil price increase due to the conflict in the Middle East.
Barangay AZCKO (Abanao, Zandueta, Chugum, Kayang, and Otek), where the largest jeepney terminal in this city is located, distributed two liters of diesel each to members of nine jeepney organizations on Wednesday, March 11.
“This is part of the social responsibility of our barangay, especially now that we are feeling the increase in crude oil due to the war in the Middle East, the whole country is affected by this crisis, so for the second time we are distributing fuel subsidy to our jeepney drivers, even though they are not residents of our barangay, they are here with us working,” said Barangay Chairman Jefferson Cheng.
Cheng said the project was first conducted in June 2022 when oil prices suddenly increased and the country was recovering from the pandemic.
“The barangay does not have funds for such programs, we only rely on donations from stakeholders and we are also grateful to our partner in this program, the Caltex gasoline station in our barangay,” Cheng said.
A jeepney driver said he used to spend P800 to P1,000 for fuel for one day, but with the increase, he now pays P1,700 and his income was reduced by half, from P1,000 per day to only P500.
“This program is a great help for us, with the increase in fuel, we are currently at a loss, because the government has not taken any action to increase fares for us to recover. We are very grateful to Barangay AZKCO for the fuel subsidy for jeepney drivers,” he said.