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Gokongwei-led Cebu Pacific has turned more cautious about hitting its target of carrying 30 million passengers this year, as soaring fuel prices linked to the Middle East crisis threaten to dampen travel demand and inflate operating costs.

In an interview with reporters on Monday, Cebu Pacific CEO Mike Szucs said the airline would have to reassess its growth outlook after initially projecting passenger volume to rise from a record 26.9 million in 2025 to about 30 million in 2026.

‘Well, I think we have to review [that],’ Szucs said on the sidelines of the inauguration of Cebu Pacific’s flagship training facility in Parañaque. ‘We need to wait and see how that comes through.’

Szucs said softer demand may emerge as Philippine consumers begin to ‘feel the pinch’ of elevated fuel prices and higher travel costs.

‘It’s difficult to predict exactly what the passenger number will be, but certainly, we were on track to grow by sort of 10-percent plus again this year,’ he added.

Already, allowable jet fuel surcharges have climbed to Level 19, under which additional charges can reach as high as P1,834 per passenger for domestic flights and up to P15,397.15 for international flights.

While the budget carrier said it is still operating as anticipated through April and May, it acknowledged that the outlook for the succeeding months remains uncertain, particularly if elevated oil prices persist into the low travel season.

Despite turbulence tied to the fuel market in the first quarter, Cebu Pacific still managed to increase passenger traffic to 7.54 million from 6.95 million a year earlier, helped by strong travel demand during the school break.

‘Tactical adjustments’

‘Clearly we’ve got a few months to go through where we’ve got to manage incredibly inflated fuel prices,’ Szucs said. ‘It’s our largest cost … and now, of course, it’s gone up by more than double.’

Jet fuel prices remain elevated at $184.63 per barrel as of April 17, although they have eased after hitting $209 per barrel in the week ending April 3. Before the war, jet fuel prices averaged below $100 per barrel.

The airline said it may implement ‘tactical adjustments’ to its flight schedule depending on how demand and fuel prices evolve in the coming months.

Cebu Pacific earlier suspended its Dubai route until the end of May. It has also paused several international routes—including Davao-Bangkok, Iloilo-Bangkok, Iloilo-Singapore and Clark-Hanoi-Clark—until October.

Despite the near-term pressures, Cebu Pacific maintained that it has adequate fuel supply. In late March, the company said it had secured sufficient fuel supply through the end of June.

‘We think we’ve got adequate supply of fuel. For us at the moment, the real challenge is on the price,’ Szucs said. ‘We’re hoping once we get into June, July, August, that the prices will come off.’

With the war now in its eighth week, Cebu Pacific chair Lance Gokongwei said the broader aviation industry remains in a ‘very challenging’ period, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, where airlines rely heavily on fuel sourced from the Middle East.

‘The war has severely impacted the availability and the price of fuel,’ Gokongwei said. ‘And we just hope that this war is resolved soon, as it’s causing massive disruption to the airline, of course, to its customers.’

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) is proposing an expanded and increased fuel subsidy program to cushion the impact of the ongoing oil crisis across all sectors of the country’s fisheries industry, a top official said Monday.

Speaking after the inauguration of a new aquaculture feed mill plant at the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center/Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC/AQD) in Buyu-an, Tigbauan, BFAR assistant director for administrative services Zaldy Perez outlined the agency’s proposed relief measures.

Perez said the directive to enhance assistance came from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and the Secretary of Agriculture aims to ensure that the entire sector—from small-scale fishers to commercial and aquaculture operators—receives adequate support.

‘The proposal is to cover not only the municipal sector but also commercial and aquaculture operations,’ Perez said in an interview.

Under the proposal, assistance for commercial and aquaculture operators will be based on fish landings, with a suggested subsidy of P10 per kilo.

Municipal fishers, meanwhile, may receive increased direct aid of up to P9,000 per month, although Perez clarified that the higher rate will only apply for the duration of the crisis.

While the proposal is still being finalized, Perez assured that the government’s existing subsidy program remains in place. BFAR continues to distribute its standard fuel assistance of P3,000 per fisher or registered boat from regular funds.

He urged fisherfolk to coordinate with BFAR regional offices to update their registration and boat validation to ensure they receive the subsidy.

The government’s continued lack of assurance that Sen. Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa will be given his day in court has forced him to remain in hiding, according to Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano.

Cayetano clarified that dela Rosa himself would have wanted to report for work, contrary to perceptions that he simply refused to show up and should, therefore, be penalized for his absence.

‘What’s the problem? There is a threat against him that the government cannot assure that his rights will be protected,’ the minority leader explained in an interview in Taguig on Tuesday.

Cayetano then cited what he described as confusing statements from the Department of Justice that while dela Rosa has the right to go to court, the government also has an ‘option’ to arrest him if a warrant of arrest is issued against him.

It was Ombudsman Jesus Crispin ‘Boying’ Remulla who claimed in November 2025 that a warrant of arrest had been issued by the International Criminal Court against dela Rosa in connection with his role in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.

Citing the 1987 Constitution, Cayetano insisted the Senate minority’s stand that Filipinos facing arrest or extradition in international court should be allowed to seek legal remedies in local courts.

‘So if a warrant of arrest comes from abroad, it still has to go through our own courts. That’s our position. But no one can give Senator Bato any assurance,’ he then said.

‘So I talked with someone very close to him. They said, ‘It’s simple, Sir. What we need is assurance from the Philippine government that he will have his day in court here. Even if he is arrested, it should be here in the Philippines. But if they’re saying he could just be taken and sent to another country, then he will stand his ground,” Cayetano added.

Although dela Rosa misses his work in the Senate, he would not risk being arrested and brought to The Hague, Netherlands to face the charges against him, the minority leader said.

Dela Rosa and Sen. Christopher ‘Bong’ Go were among those tagged as former President Rodrigo Duterte’s co-perpetrators in the alleged commission of crimes against humanity in relation to his drug war.

‘Why can’t the government stand firm and say, ‘Senator Bato, you’re in the Philippines; there are courts here; you’re safe; come in; no one will kidnap you?” Cayetano asked. ‘They can’t assure him like that.’

Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the tax evasion case against him and co-respondents is part of what he called a ‘continuing pattern’ to ‘harass’ those seen as supporters of the Duterte administration.

On Monday, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) filed before the Department of Justice a tax evasion complaint against Roque, his wife, and an associate for tax deficiencies totaling P3.35 million.

‘These filings form part of a continuing pattern of actions which we believe are politically motivated and intended to harass and pressure individuals associated with, or perceived to be supportive of, the Duterte administration,’ Roque said in a statement Monday night.

‘We view these developments with serious concern as they raise fundamental issues regarding fairness, equal protection, and the impartial administration of justice,’ he added.

Members of the BIR went to the DOJ to file the complaint against Roque, his wife, Mylah Reyes Roque, and Percival Sazon Ortega regarding tax violations involving Biancham Holdings and Trading, Inc., a company previously owned by the Roques and their associates.

In a statement, the BIR said its investigation showed that Roque, his wife, and Ortega ‘failed to file the required tax returns and pay the corresponding taxes due on the transfer of shares of stock and on the increase in authorized capital stock.’

But Roque said ‘there has been no issuance of shares whatsoever pursuant to any alleged increase in authorized capital stock.’

‘Absent actual issuance or subscription of shares, there is no taxable event that could give rise to liability under Philippine tax law,’ he continued.

The allegations, he further said, are premised on a ‘misunderstanding of basic corporate and tax principles.’

‘Any suggestion of tax liability at this stage is unfounded and premature,’ he further said.

Roque, who was the subject of an arrest warrant over his alleged involvement in a scam hub in Pampanga, said he will continue to seek political asylum due to what he said is political persecution.

Roque is among the subjects of an arrest warrant issued by Judge Rene Reyes of the Angeles City Regional Trial Court Branch 118 on May 8, 2025 for violations of Republic Act No. 9208, or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act.

The Lucky South 99 Pogo hub was raided and shuttered by law enforcers in June 2024 following allegations of torture, human trafficking and illegal scamming activities.

Roque, however, has already applied for asylum since March last year, or months before the issuance of the arrest warrant.

Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ G. Dy III on Tuesday extended an invitation to young Southeast Asian lawmakers to visit the Philippines in the future, highlighting Bohol as a symbol of the region’s shared natural and cultural heritage.

Speaking at the 3rd Consultative Meeting of the Young Parliamentarians of the Asean Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), held virtually under the Philippines’ hosting, Dy expressed regret that participants were unable to gather in Panglao, Bohol as originally planned, but emphasized that the invitation remains open.

‘We had planned to gather in Panglao, Bohol so that all of you could sample the best of what the Philippines has to offer: its beautiful beaches, the gracious hospitality of our people, and the rich tapestry of our culture and history,’ Dy said.

The Speaker noted that beyond its scenic landscapes, Bohol also represents a unique ecological link within Southeast Asia.

‘As a bonus, we had hoped you would meet one of our region’s most remarkable little ambassadors—the tarsier, one of the smallest primates in the world, found only in Bohol and other parts of Southeast Asia,’ he added.

Bohol is home to the Philippine Tarsier. Other species of the tarsier can be found in other Southeast Asian nations such as Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

‘We hope that in the future you will grant us the privilege of hosting you there,’ the Speaker said, reiterating the Philippines’ commitment to fostering closer people-to-people and parliamentary exchanges within Asean.

Originally scheduled as an in-person gathering in Panglao, the meeting was moved online as part of a calibrated approach to streamline official engagements and manage rising global costs amid ongoing geopolitical tensions, while ensuring that regional cooperation continues uninterrupted.

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Monday reiterated his call for the abolition of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) after two Makati youth leaders were suspended after the city council found them guilty of misconduct.

At a press briefing at Trece Martires City in Cavite, Remulla identified the SK officials as Natalia Georgianna Tupaz of Barangay Dasmariñas and Cecilia Louise Yabut of Barangay Magallanes. Both barangays are home to rich and influential individuals and families.

‘Corruption has reached the SK all the way to the richest barangay. We are not singling out anyone, small or rich barangay,’ the head of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said.

‘There is no more shame. You should be ashamed. You are already rich but you still steal,’ he added.

Tupaz, according to a statement from the DILG, was slapped with a six-month suspension based on a March 23, 2026 resolution for allegedly demanding a kickback of 20 percent from a supplier for a Halloween project.

Investigators said the allegations against her were supported by Viber messages and a phone call.

Tupaz also allegedly submitted an SK resolution bearing a forged signature of the SK secretary. Records showed that she filed her resignation on March 8, subject to approval.

Yabut, on the other hand, was suspended for three months under an April 6, 2026 resolution for supposedly submitting documents with falsified signatures, including that of an SK kagawad who was reportedly abroad at the time.

While Yabut admitted that she did not personally secure the signatures, she said the signatories had given her prior consent.

Possible charges

According to Remulla, Tupaz may face charges before the Office of the Ombudsman for direct bribery, violation of Republic Act No. 3019 and falsification of public documents.

Yabut and her SK treasurer may also face falsification charges related to a purchase request.

Barangay Magallanes chair Jose Mari Alzona told the Inquirer that they regret Yabut’s involvement in the case, saying they would not tolerate such a violation.

‘The barangay asserts that all the documents [that] served as the basis for their complaint are correct,’ Alzona said, adding that they would assist and cooperate with the DILG and Office of the Ombudsman’s investigation into the case.

Remulla, meanwhile, reiterated his call for the abolition of the barangay youth council, saying that he would make such a recommendation should there be moves to amend the 1987 Constitution.

‘We see the culture of corruption even among the youth,’ he said.

He also cited the high attrition rate among SK officials, saying many leave office after the first year of their term due to marriage, employment or education, forcing village officials to appoint officers in charge.

According to Remulla, it may be more practical for barangay councils to designate individuals to oversee youth affairs instead of holding elections.

He floated last month the idea of abolishing the SK, saying many SK officers stop functioning within the first two years of their term.

The House of Representatives’ committee on justice may approve a report on the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte by May 4 should the panel be able to wrap up its hearings on Wednesday, Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro said.

Luistro relayed this on Tuesday during an online interview with reporters, after being asked about the timeline for the impeachment proceedings against Duterte.

The panel, which Luistro heads, is expected to tackle the complainants’ allegations that Duterte threatened to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez during the hearing on Wednesday, April 29. This may be followed by a vote on whether there is probable cause to move forward with impeaching Duterte.

‘This is based on my perspective only as chair of the justice committee; it will depend still on the majority of the justice members, and eventually on the majority of the plenary members. So if tomorrow — because tomorrow is the scheduled date of our hearing for allegations of threat — if there are no other inclinations from the justice members, we should be ready to vote tomorrow,’ Luistro told reporters.

‘And if voting pushes through tomorrow, then on May 4, we will be having another hearing, that is for the purpose of approval of our committee report — whether it contains, whether the same is favorable or not favorable to the determination of probable cause,’ she added.

According to Luistro, if the committee members believe there is probable cause to impeach Duterte, they will be constrained to write the articles of impeachment against the vice president. Once approved within the justice panel, it will be sent to the committee on rules for its action.

Luistro thinks the plenary session on May 11 could be the day for House members to decide whether to approve or reject the committee report.

‘If it is favorable to the determination of probable cause, it must contain as well the resolution and the articles of impeachment. So upon approval of all these documents, we will be transmitting them to the plenary likewise on May 4,’ she said.

‘And then upon receipt of the plenary, we expect that they will be transmitting copies of these documents to the complainant, respondent vice president, and all the House members. And upon transmitting of the same, then it is up to them when to consider the plenary vote. May 11 can be considered as a date for a possible plenary vote, I think that is a Monday,’ she added.

Two clarificatory hearings have been held regarding the grounds stated in the two remaining impeachment complaints. Last April 14, the panel discussed allegations of confidential fund (CF) misuse within the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd), which she had headed before.

Some of the revelations made during the April 14 hearing were contained in the supplemental affidavit of Ramil Madriaga, Duterte’s former aide.

According to Madriaga, Duterte supposedly ordered her in December 2022 to coordinate with Col. Dennis Nolasco about delivering cash to allies in San Pablo, Laguna; a comedy bar in Quezon City, and the Office of the Ombudsman parking lot as a way of ‘returning a favor.’

Madriaga said four large duffel bags were unloaded from the vehicles: three were dark and one was light-colored, each containing around P30 million to P35 million.

This is believed to be the P125 million confidential fund in 2022, which Madriaga said he liquidated in one day, and not the reported 11 days.

The panel also tackled findings from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) experts, which indicated that several acknowledgment receipts (ARs) for the OVP’s CF expenditures were signed by the same few individuals.

On April 22, the panel tackled accusations that Duterte has unexplained wealth and that she failed to disclose all her assets in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).

At one point during the hearings, Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura confirmed that they saw covered and suspicious transactions made by Duterte and her relatives, like her husband Manases Carpio.

Eventually, Buenaventura said that they saw 630 covered transactions and 33 suspicious transactions, totaling to P6.77 billion, that were made by the Vice President and her family.

About P4.4 billion flowed into the accounts, P1.5 billion was transferred out, and around P791 million could not be classified as an inflow or outflow, according to an AMLC report presented to the House committee on justice.

Later in the day, Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima randomly picked 18 transactions posted in former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV’s affidavit against Duterte, asking if these would match the records at AMLC’s hand.

Eventually, Buenaventura said that while they cannot divulge information about the nature of the transfers, 18 of the 18 transactions identified by de Lima were confirmed in AMLC’s records.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) identified a licensed protection agent as the man who was seen brandishing his gun outside a pickup truck after it crashed in separate instances in Taguig City and Makati City.

In a press briefing in Camp Crame on Tuesday, PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño said the implicated agent surrendered to the Makati police last night.

At the press conference, Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies (SOSIA) chief Brig. Gen. Rudecindo Reales identified the agent as Joey Sabando.

Sabando has a license issued on Oct. 3, 2024 and it is valid until Oct. 3, 2029.

The SOSIA is the PNP office in charge of enforcing regulations on private security personnel.

The pickup truck in question first rear-ended a sedan and a motorcycle along the segment of Chino Roces Avenue in Barangay Fort Bonifacio in Taguig on Friday night.

When the pickup truck driver sped off along Chino Roces Avenue and crossed into the segment of the road in Barangay Magallanes in Makati, the affected motorists chased him until he crashed into another vehicle.

The affected motorists caught up with the pickup truck driver and began hitting the latter’s vehicle, supposedly prompting Sabando to intervene.

‘Based on the investigation of the chief of police of Makati, Sabando was along Chino Roces in between the first and second incidents where he saw the pickup truck hitting another vehicle and motorists were chasing after it,’ Tuaño explained.

‘Sabando has given an affidavit. He says that he was only giving protection to the pickup driver who was being chased since the motorists were mobbing the driver,’ he said.

Despite the identifications on agent’s work, according to Reales, the SOSIA has no records of Sabando being employed as a protection agent for any individual.

Meanwhile, Taguig City police chief Col. Julius Añonuevo previously said the pickup driver and all affected motorists supposedly had an amicable agreement that settled the incident.

Nonetheless, according to Tuaño, the Makati City Police Station is expected to file a case against Sabando for alarm and scandal he generated for reportedly brandishing his firearm.

The Inquirer is working to reach Sabando for comment. It will publish his statement once it becomes available.

Firearms probe

Sabando had also surrendered his caliber 45 pistol to the Makati police, Tuaño told reporters.

According to the PNP, Sabando had a license to own and possess a firearm valid until Feb. 24, 2035 and a permit to carry firearms outside residence valid until Oct. 8, 2027.

His caliber 45 pistol was registered until June 15, 2026.

At the briefing, Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO) legal officer Lt. Col. Domer Tadeo said their unit has begun a motu proprio investigation into Sabando’s firearms licenses in response to the Taguig-Makati incident.

In a statement earlier on Tuesday, PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. ordered the FEO to begin the process to revoke Sabando’s firearms licenses.

‘Once guns are used other than for protection, then the owner automatically loses the right to bear one,’ the top cop said.

‘The act of openly displaying a firearm in a public setting remains a serious violation even if no shot was fired or no crime of robbery was committed,’ he stressed.

Holding firm Apollo Global Capital Inc. has inked a deal with Masbate 2145 Philippines Inc. to significantly expand its presence in the local mining industry.

The listed firm signed the operating agreement with Masbate 2145 through its offshore mining subsidiary, JDVC Resources Corp.

The agreement covers a 15,909.33-hectare mineral property situated in the towns of Mobo, Uson and Milagros.

The deal designates JDVC as the exclusive operator. It is granted the rights to explore, develop, extract, operate and market minerals within the designated contract area.

‘This agreement expands the company’s mining footprint through its subsidiary, JDVC, by providing access to a significant mineral property in Masbate,’ Apollo Global Capital said in a disclosure on Tuesday.

‘The exclusive rights to explore and develop this area align with the company’s long-term strategy to increase mineral production and shareholder value,’ it added.

Under the accord, JDVC will conduct all exploration activities, which includes securing mining permits and licenses, such as the Declaration of Mining Project Feasibility, Environmental Compliance Certificate.

The operator will also convert the exploration permit into a Mineral Production Sharing Agreement.

The Philippines’s peso slid to a record low on Tuesday, breaching the 61-per-dollar level for the first time in intraday tradingIn the afternoon session, the local currency touched an intraday low of 61.08, marking a fresh all-time trough.

Traders attributed the weakness to a hawkish US Federal Reserve that has helped buoy the dollar.

Earlier, in the morning session, the peso sank to 60.97 against the green back.