Middle East Conflict Drives Up Gas Prices, Philippines Street Food Stalls Struggle
Rising LPG prices due to the Middle East conflict are severely impacting street food vendors in the Philippines, forcing them to raise prices or face dwindling customer numbers, a trend reflected in increased food inflation.
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- 📰 Published: April 12, 2026 at 14:39
- 🔍 Collected: April 12, 2026 at 16:29 (1h 50m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 22:41 (174h 12m after Collected)
To save money, 20-year-old Eric Garcia carefully turns the knob, lowering the flame under the warming plate to the minimum, to cope with nearly doubled fuel costs.
According to Agence France-Presse, while the price shock at gas stations has been the biggest news focus since the war led to the partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the rise in liquefied petroleum gas prices has also severely impacted street food vendors in this import-dependent island nation.
The day before being interviewed by AFP, Garcia stated he was forced to raise the price of a bowl of pares to 65 pesos ($1.08), as fuel costs have reduced his daily income by a quarter.
He said, "I only earn 1,500 pesos a day because the rest goes to LPG."
Garcia starts cooking at 3 AM every day, then delivers the stew dishes via a modified motorbike to middle-class neighborhoods. He said a 11kg cylinder, which usually lasts four days, used to cost 870 pesos (about $14.50) but now costs 1,600 pesos.
Carlo Manalad, supervisor at a gas cylinder retail store, said, "This is the highest LPG price I've seen since I started working here."
The 64-year-old told AFP, "If the supplier's price is high, we also have to raise our prices, but our profit margin remains the same."
Ronilo Titom, who has been running a roadside food cart for two years, said, "If we raise prices, customers will go to other stalls."
Titom stated that despite insisting on not raising prices, he has noticed a slow decline in customers since the war broke out.
The 48-year-old Titom said, "Many people have started bringing packed lunches to save money."
The Philippine government's inflation data shows that prices driven up by the war have nearly doubled food price increases compared to the previous month. (Translator: Zheng Shiyun) 1150412
According to Agence France-Presse, while the price shock at gas stations has been the biggest news focus since the war led to the partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the rise in liquefied petroleum gas prices has also severely impacted street food vendors in this import-dependent island nation.
The day before being interviewed by AFP, Garcia stated he was forced to raise the price of a bowl of pares to 65 pesos ($1.08), as fuel costs have reduced his daily income by a quarter.
He said, "I only earn 1,500 pesos a day because the rest goes to LPG."
Garcia starts cooking at 3 AM every day, then delivers the stew dishes via a modified motorbike to middle-class neighborhoods. He said a 11kg cylinder, which usually lasts four days, used to cost 870 pesos (about $14.50) but now costs 1,600 pesos.
Carlo Manalad, supervisor at a gas cylinder retail store, said, "This is the highest LPG price I've seen since I started working here."
The 64-year-old told AFP, "If the supplier's price is high, we also have to raise our prices, but our profit margin remains the same."
Ronilo Titom, who has been running a roadside food cart for two years, said, "If we raise prices, customers will go to other stalls."
Titom stated that despite insisting on not raising prices, he has noticed a slow decline in customers since the war broke out.
The 48-year-old Titom said, "Many people have started bringing packed lunches to save money."
The Philippine government's inflation data shows that prices driven up by the war have nearly doubled food price increases compared to the previous month. (Translator: Zheng Shiyun) 1150412