DILIMAN, Quezon City — Recent escalation of conflict in the Middle East is pushing international crude prices to spike and causing immense pressure on local shipping operators to prompt them into raising their fare but government authorities have immediately countered this by implementing intervention to prevent predatory pricing.

Expecting the worst, transportation officials have quickly enforced a 20-percent limit on fare increases even as the Department of Transportation (DoTr) debunked claims that port fees drive inflation while Middle East tensions continue to impact global oil prices.

The ongoing hostilities between Iran and the United States, Israel and their allies have triggered international crude prices to increase at an all-time high that hovers more than US$100 per barrel.

In a preemptive move, transportation acting secretary Giovanni 'Banoy' Lopez enforced a 20-percent cap on maritime fare increases while urging passengers to report shipping companies who will exceed this limit.
Meanwhile, Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) general manager Jay Santiago dismissed calls for the suspension of government port charges as he cited that the said charges only account for less than 1 percent of the retail price of basic goods and logistical data shows shipping and trucking comprise about 85 percent of total transport costs.

Santiago likewise confirmed that terminal fees remain free of charge for seniors citizens, students, persons-with-disabilities (PWDs) and uniformed personnel. To support President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. (PBBM)'s call to conserve in the use of fuel and energy, the PPA has also implemented a four-day workweek while the crisis still remains and a' no idling' policy as well to reduce energy consumption.