BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — As the Philippines braces for a surge in oil prices due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East, top leaders in the tourism and trade sectors are urging a rapid shift toward “green transportation” to reduce the country’s reliance on imported fossil fuels and lower the carbon footprint of rural development.
The call for sustainable mobility was the central theme at the opening of the three-day international farm tourism conference in Baguio.
- Economic Value: Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr., president of the Philippine Exporters Confederation, noted that the country’s farm tourism industry was valued at $1.6 billion in 2025.
- Future Targets: Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco shared an ambitious goal to grow the sector to $197 billion by 2032, integrating local cuisine and rural traditions into the global “tourism value chain.”
Former Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista highlighted that transportation currently accounts for half of the tourism industry’s carbon footprint.
- Green Roads: Bautista urged investors to create “integrated and low-impact mobility” options—such as walking paths and bicycle lanes—to make the journey to farm destinations “as green as the farms themselves.”
- Supply Chain Risks: Ortiz-Luis warned that if the Middle East crisis persists, the supply chain will be the first casualty, already citing disruptions in global shipping.
Provinces are already implementing preemptive measures to manage fuel costs:
- Quezon Province: Governor Angelina Tan ordered vehicle pooling, trip scheduling, and a shift to virtual meetings for all provincial offices.
- Cebu Province: Governor Pamela Baricuatro limited non-essential travel and set up a registry to assist and repatriate Cebuanos working in affected Middle Eastern regions.
- Iloilo City: Transport operators are currently studying petitions for fare increases as fuel prices saw their 10th consecutive weekly hike on Tuesday.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has called on the public to conserve energy as the nation prepares for potential supply constraints in the coming weeks.