01/05/2026
𝗕𝗔𝗚𝗨𝗜𝗢 𝗧𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗠 𝗦𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗢𝗥 𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗕𝗬 𝗚𝗟𝗢𝗕𝗔𝗟 𝗙𝗨𝗘𝗟 𝗖𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗜𝗦
The local government said that the city’s tourism sector is one of the industries heavily impacted by the ongoing global fuel crisis, which has persisted for nearly two months.
Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong said that tourist arrivals in the city declined by 40 to 50 percent over the past several weeks following the outbreak of the Middle East war, while accommodation establishments also recorded similar reductions in bookings and reservations.
He added that restaurants and other food establishments offering buffet services have, on some days of the week, recorded zero customers, reflecting the significant impact of the crisis across various sectors of society, in addition to its effects on the public transport and agriculture sectors.
The mayor said that aside from the assistance already provided to the transport sector and the planned distribution of rice to members of vulnerable and marginalized groups, the local government is also assessing additional support measures for heavily affected sectors to help them cope with the ongoing crisis.
According to him, the local economy has been affected by reduced consumer spending, the absence of new investments, significantly decreased government spending, and reduced exports and imports, all of which are key drivers of economic growth and development at both the national and local levels.
He described the effects of the ongoing fuel crisis as more severe than those experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting the local government to explore ways to mitigate its serious negative impact on the economy and people’s livelihoods.
The mayor emphasized that the situation is unlikely to stabilize immediately even if the Middle East war ends, as recovery in oil-producing and exporting countries may take time due to damage to gas infrastructure. He added that countries affected by soaring oil prices will also need time to recover from economic slowdowns, meaning the current difficulties may persist for a longer period. - Dexter A. See
