The Center for Development Programs in the Cordillera (CDPC) stands in unwavering solidarity with the Cordillera people amid the worsening impacts of the Middle East crisis.
The relentless surge in fuel prices is no longer just an economic concern; it is a growing burden, hitting hardest the poorest and most marginalized communities.
In far-flung areas of the Cordillera, where distance already defines survival, the crisis is devastating. Transportation costs have skyrocketed, basic goods are increasingly unaffordable, and essential needs are slipping further out of reach.
Data from Timpuyog ti Mannalon ti Kalinga shows that farmers in Tabuk City now spend over ₱7,800 per hectare on fuel, more than double last season before even accounting for seeds, fertilizers, and other inputs.
Short-term assistance for transport groups is welcome but insufficient.
The government must implement structural, long-term solutions, including a critical review of the Oil Deregulation Law and measures such as reducing excise taxes and VAT on fuel to ease the burden on ordinary families. Some local government units, like Baguio City, under Resolution No. 257 Series of 2026, have declared a state of calamity. CDPC urges all LGUs to prioritize vulnerable sectors and communities, and for the private sector to contribute meaningful support.
This is not only an economic issue, but it is a deepening social and humanitarian crisis fueled by global conflicts and profiteering. Now, more than ever, the Cordilleran spirit of binnadang, our tradition of communal solidarity, must guide us. By standing together, we can endure, respond, and rise above this crisis. ###