Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday called on all local government units (LGUs) to permanently ban motorcades and vehicle caravans, citing rising fuel prices due to escalating tensions in the Middle East.
In a statement, the Vice President urged the public to reconsider organizing such activities as a form of protest, highlighting the impact of increasing fuel costs, worsening air and noise pollution, and traffic congestion.
“While I fully understand the desire to gather and express anger against the administration or show support to former president Rodrigo Duterte, it is, however, more important to be mindful of how these activities impact others and the environment,” Duterte said.
“I call on all local government units to permanently ban motorcades and vehicle caravans/parade whether for celebrations, festivals, or political intent,” she added.
The Vice President also suggested exploring alternative gathering methods that are less disruptive and more sustainable, noting that there is still much work to be done in drawing attention to governance challenges in the Philippines.
“At the same time, we must confront the crisis of loss of jobs of OFWs coming home, as well as the sharp increase in the cost of food and other essential commodities,” Duterte said.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. earlier assured the public that the Philippines has sufficient oil reserves to mitigate the effects of global price volatility triggered by escalating tensions in the Middle East.
