On July 21, 2026, retail prices of diesel, gasoline and kerosene in the Philippines rose sharply, up P10.68, P3.65 and P11.77 per liter, respectively. Officials attributed the increases to renewed tensions in the Middle East that pushed global crude prices higher. The Department of Energy said it would step up oversight to prevent market disorder, but did not detail specific measures.

Philippine Sen. Risa Hontiveros has filed a resolution seeking a Senate investigation into the Energy Regulatory Commission’s policies on handling electricity bill disputes and power rate increases. The move follows reports from Metro Manila consumers of erroneous Meralco meter readings and irregular billings. Hontiveros said ERC guidance telling customers to “pay under protest” to avoid disconnection conflicts with Meralco’s statement that complainants need not pay while cases are under review. Meralco also raised its generation charge by 34.2 centavo per kilowatthour this month.