DAVAO CITY (19 April 2026)—Food stall vendors and carinderia owners are left with no choice but raise the prices of what they sell but customers apparently understand why.
Glenn Rebolles, a food stall vendor at an eatery in Matina, said they had to add at least ten pesos to the price of every dish, because the cost of cooking has increased due to the oil crisis spawned by the US-Israel conflict with Iran.
“Wala man hinuon naga reklamo nga mga customer, nakasabot man pud siguro sila sa sitwasyon” (Customers are not complaining so far, they probably understand the situation as well), Rebolles said.
The cost of a meal has to be raised because a tank of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) now costs several hundred pesos more and the cost of rice, meat, fish, vegetables, condiments, cooking oil has gone up, too.
Evergista Sarmiento, 59, carinderia owner at Bangkal also feels the impact of the fuel price hike and has had to increase the price of a bowl of tinola from 35 pesos to 50 pesos. Other dishes cost 15 pesos more.
Relly Puno, a 50-year-old cook and eatery owner in Piapi Boulevard, said they, too, are suffering from the high cost of food, fuel, and other basic needs.
“Syempre naapektuhan jud kaayo, kay halos tanan gamit sa pagluto nagtaas” (Of course, we’ve really been affected because the prices of everything used for cooking have gone up), Puno said.
But he has not adjusted the price of his dishes, explaining he sympathizes with his loyal customers.
His wife assists him in cooking and attending to the eatery that is their source of livelihood. The couple has three children — two in college, with the eldest about to graduate this year, and one still in elementary school.
Puno could not hide his frustration. “Kana, utong na lang wa man tay mabuhat (We just have to endure it because there’s nothing we can do).”
But Puno said he still has to keep going.
As of 17 April 2026, the Department of Energy (DOE) said the Php20.89-per-liter diesel rollback took effect on 14 April, while Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said current market signals point to a possible rollback next week, although no final adjustment has been confirmed.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued Executive Order No. 114 last April 16, suspending excise taxes on LPG and kerosene for three months to cushion the effects of the present energy emergency following the recommendation of the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC).
The suspension will be subject to a monthly review by the DBCC, which will then recommend to the President the continuation, modification, extension, or termination of the order. (Jhino Bilbao / DorSU intern)
