by: Arielle Celine Tabinga

EDITOR’S NOTE: Arielle Celine Tabinga is the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities’ Manager for Urban Development. This piece reflects her insights from the panel discussion Driving Action for Clear Skies: Inclusive Transport and Community-Led Clean Air Innovations in Southeast Asia and India, a pre-event session organized by the Clean Mobility Collective Southeast Asia, held ahead of the 12th Better Air Quality Conference (BAQ 2026) in Bangkok, Thailand on March 9.

When fares increase, people adjust in different ways. Some reduce travel altogether. Workers with flexible arrangements may shift to remote work, cut down on trips, or support proposals such as a four-day work week. Others may turn to carpooling to share costs. But for many, especially those in manufacturing, service, and frontline jobs, staying home is not an option. 

In these cases, commuters may opt for cheaper modes of mobility, walk or cycle for short distances, or rely more heavily on public transport. These coping strategies echo patterns seen during the 1973–1974 oil crisis, and more recently during the COVID-19 pandemic, when global disruptions forced people to adapt quickly. What these shifts reveal is simple: when systems fail to provide affordable and reliable options, the burden falls on individuals—often those least able to absorb it.

The impact of the ongoing conflict in West Asia reinforces what has long been clear: energy security and transport resilience must be treated as priorities, not afterthoughts. Public transport, renewable energy, and active mobility such as walking and cycling must be seen as part of a combined, resilient system. Relying too heavily on any single solution creates fragility. 

Experiences from across Asia show that this is not merely theoretical—it is already being done at scale. In India, the Shakti Scheme has demonstrated how fare policies can directly improve access by making public transport more affordable, particularly for women. By removing fare barriers, the program has enabled millions of additional trips made by women, allowing them to travel for work, education, and daily needs, translating into greater economic participation and independence. The scale of uptake shows that lowering costs directly increases demand, especially among those constrained by affordability.

In Indonesia, Jakarta’s TransJakarta system highlights the importance of integration and long-term investment. By bringing smaller, informal transport services into a unified network, the system has expanded coverage and improved access to jobs and essential services across the city. At the same time, Jakarta is advancing toward full fleet electrification by 2030. This transition is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 58%, while generating strong economic returns—estimated at IDR 2.4 in socioeconomic benefits for every IDR 1 invested, with the total net benefits reaching approximately IDR 4.2 trillion. Electrification also lowers operating costs per kilometer, allowing the system to deploy more vehicles within the same level of public spending, improving service frequency and reliability. 

In the Philippines, Quezon City has already shown how planned, people-centered transport systems have reduced both cost and uncertainty for commuters. The QCity Free Bus Program is implemented through service contracting agreements with bus transport operators, where drivers are compensated per trip regularly with statutory benefits instead of daily quota (boundary), and operators are paid on the basis of fixed kilometers per trip on designated route. Routes are also managed both by the private operators and the city government, aiming towards an integrated route service connecting citizens to the city’s public service hubs (e.g. government hospitals, the city hall, commercial center). More recently, Quezon City has also begun running electric buses directly on one route, cutting costs by P14.2 million (USD 241,873). 

All three examples share a common element: a view that providing free or affordable transport is a public service,  akin to providing universal access to healthcare for all, wherein the subsidy is an investment to economic infrastructure that will allow citizens to be productive. 

Scaling and replicating these approaches will be critical, particularly as more Filipinos are expected to rely on public transport in the face of rising costs.

At the same time, the shift toward walking and cycling is likely to accelerate, especially for short-distance trips. This makes investment in active mobility not just a long-term goal, but an immediate and practical response. In Metro Manila, there are signs of progress: efforts are being made by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to improve pedestrian infrastructure under the EDSA Rehabilitation, particularly the sidewalk upgrades along Roxas Boulevard from Pasay to Makati. Similarly, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) recently launched an end-of-trip facility for bike-to-work commuters. However, the challenge is no longer just about building more infrastructure, but also improving the existing ones and accelerating efforts. Many sidewalks in Philippine cities remain obstructed or disconnected, while cycling lanes are often fragmented or inconsistently protected. These gaps limit usability and can discourage continued use, particularly among more vulnerable groups.

This is a critical moment to reframe the conversation: this is not just a transport issue. It is about resilience. For the Philippines, it is time to invest in making our transport system more resilient, especially in the face of recurring fuel price shocks.

This means focusing on practical, proven, and efficient solutions. First, empower local government units to take a stronger role in transport planning. Local government units (LGUs) understand local travel patterns best, and are in the best position to develop interconnected public transport routes based on actual demand, ensuring services are more reliable, accessible, and responsive to communities. Afterall, LGUs are the first responders.

Second, accelerate the shift to cleaner fleets. We need to make electrification more feasible on the ground, through green route planning guidelines, financing mechanisms, and technical support more accessible to local governments and operators. 

Third, invest in active and multimodal mobility. Walking and cycling should not be afterthoughts. Safe and accessible infrastructure, when integrated with public transport, enables more efficient, affordable, and seamless commutes while reducing dependence on fuel-intensive modes. 

Lastly, address fragmentation through stronger coordination. One of the biggest challenges we face is the lack of alignment across agencies and at different levels. Clearer roles, more aligned policies, and integrated planning can reduce inefficiencies and ensure that limited resources deliver the greatest public value.

The private sector also has a role to play: companies that require on-site work can help ease the burden on workers by providing shuttle services, supporting flexible arrangements, or organizing carpool systems. These measures can reduce transport costs for employees while easing pressure on already-strained public systems.

From all indications, this crisis will not be short-lived. Even with the release of oil reserves, the impacts on supply chains, transport costs, and household budgets are likely to persist long-term. While transport workers are among the most visibly affected, the consequences extend far beyond them—impacting families, women, and breadwinners who must stretch already limited resources, as well as the rising cost of goods and services.

What is needed now is not a reactive, piecemeal response, but a coordinated and forward-looking strategy. This requires stronger alignment between national and local governments, engagement with the private sector, and sustained investment in systems that prioritize people over vehicles. More importantly, it demands recognizing that resilience comes from diversity—of modes, of energy sources, and of solutions.

We cannot afford to waste limited resources, given the consequences of this crisis for struggling Filipinos. Taken together, these solutions point to a need for a more resilient and inclusive transport system for the Philippines. 

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