Domestic diesel costs have now risen for eight consecutive weeks, largely driven by disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz after coordinated US-Israel military operations against Iran. It is against that backdrop that Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday urged all local government units across the country to impose a permanent prohibition on motorcades and vehicle caravans.
The proposal, laid out in a public statement, would apply broadly — covering not just political demonstrations but also festivals and celebrations of any kind.
Duterte is no stranger to such measures. While serving as Davao City mayor in March 2022, she signed an executive order barring all motorcades within city limits as global oil prices spiked in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Her latest push, however, arrives at a politically awkward moment. On March 1, her own supporters staged a dawn vehicle caravan from Freedom Park in Davao City to launch “Green Rise: Action and Hope for 2028,” a campaign rallying behind her expected presidential run. Similar gatherings took place elsewhere in the country. Pro-Duterte organizations have also scheduled motorcades for March 11, timed to the anniversary of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest and transfer to the International Criminal Court, and for March 28, his 80th birthday.
Despite that context, the vice president framed her call in environmental and economic terms, labeling motorcades “disruptive” while conceding that many Filipinos want to “express anger against the administration” or “show support to former president Rodrigo Duterte.”
“These events not only lead to higher fuel costs but also worsen air pollution and increase traffic congestion,” Duterte said.
“I encourage exploring alternative ways to come together that are less disruptive and more sustainable, since we have a long way to go in making the world listen to the failures of government administration in the Philippines,” the vice president said.
