Baguio tourists tighten belt amid high fuel prices

As fuel prices continue to spike along with the cost of other goods, fewer tourists are seen flocking in Baguio at the onset of the Holy Week. 

Several families, however, still pushed through with their trip but at a tighter budget. 

Laguna-based Jan Palma said his family planned their Baguio vacation in January — when fuel prices weren’t soaring yet due to the Middle East conflict. 

“Nakapag-reservation na kami ng accommodation. At the same time, walang pasok ‘yung mga bata. Ang init ngayon sa baba. Dito medyo malamig lalo na sa gabi,” he said. 

(We already had our accommodations reserved. At the same time, the kids have no classes. The weather is also hot [in Laguna]. Here, it’s slightly colder, especially at night.) 

Palma’s family took a private car going to Baguio which, he said, they had to load up with diesel twice—one time in Laguna and another in Rosario, La Union. 

“Medyo pricey po kasi dito…Mas mura po roon bago kayo umakyat ng Baguio,” he noted.

(It’s a little pricey here…It’s cheaper before going up to Baguio.) 

In Baguio, several gasoline stations price their diesel at P136.45 per liter, while gasoline is at over P100. 

This is P16.35 more than the diesel sold at P120.10 per liter in a gasoline station in Quezon City checked by GMA Integrated News. 

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong had earlier explained that higher pump prices are mainly due to logistics costs determined by major industry players

The trip from Quezon City to Baguio City is some 250 kilometers, which consumed more than 25 liters of diesel worth over P3,000. 

In some gasoline stations in La Union, petroleum prices are slightly lower, which some tourists took advantage of while en route to Baguio. 

Some tourists, on the other hand, chose to commute to Baguio with their families, but even fare prices are higher now. 

According to the Baguio City Public Information Office, bus companies plying the Baguio route have reduced trips by 30% to 50% due to the consecutive mega price hikes in the country. 

Some bus drivers also took note of a decline in their passengers. 

“Last year, halos pagdating namin ng terminal, balik agad kasi maraming pasahero. Ngayon, wala talaga. ‘Pag kaunti ang pasahero, tina-transfer namin sa susunod na bus,” bus driver Samuel Koffa Jr. Said. 

(Last year, upon arriving at the terminal, we’d have to leave immediately because of the volume of passengers. But now, that’s no longer the case. When there are only a few passengers, we transfer them to the next bus instead.)

Businesses in Baguio are also affected by the rising pump prices, with owners observing higher capital and lower revenue. 

 “‘Yung kita namin na halos 100%, nagiging 50% na lang…Iilan lang umakyat na turista tulad niyan, ang mahal ng pamasahe. Siyempre ‘yung mga tao—imbis na gagala, magtatagal ng stress, magtitipid na lang,” shawarma food stall owner Karen Garcia said. 

(Our revenue is now at 50% instead of 100%…Only a few tourists come up to Baguio because fares are higher. Instead of going on trips and relieving stress elsewhere, they’ll just save their money.) —AOL, GMA Integrated News