Manila jeepney drivers struggle as diesel costs soar amid Mideast war

Before dawn, Eric Helera unlocks his jeepney, wipes down the long passenger benches and checks brake fluid as he prepares to ferry Manila commuters. Drivers say diesel prices — driven higher by the Mideast war — are eroding their earnings and making it harder to cover operating costs and support their families. The surge in fuel costs is increasing pressure on Manila’s informal public-transport operators and the commuters who rely on them.