Romeo Wagayan had crates of cabbage sitting in his lorry as he counted the days before they rotted. The 57-year-old farmer had just made the long drive from his farm in Buguias to a trading post in La Trinidad, in the northwest of the Philippines. On previous trips, he had managed to sell 40,000kg of his stock at 15 Philippines pesos (18 pence) a kilo. This time round, the price had fallen to between 3 and 5 pesos.
‘We’re just trying to earn enough to buy rice’: Living through the energy shock in Manila
Rocketing fuel prices in the wake of the Persian Gulf crisis have made life difficult across Southeast Asia. Sam Beltran speaks to a farmer, a bus driver and other Filipinos dealing with the fallout.
The World Today
Published 15 June 2026 — 4 minute READ
Image — A driver rests at a jeepney yard in Manila. Many drivers of the ubiquitous buses have stopped work due to rising fuel prices. Photo: Ezra Acayan/Getty Images.
