Small eateries in Manila are turning to “uling” (charcoal) as soaring liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prices — driven by the conflict in the Middle East — hit record highs, forcing owners to cut costs or raise food prices just to keep their businesses going.
Lita Dimaguiba, a 62-year-old carinderia owner in Earnshaw Street, Sampaloc, Manila, said she had no choice but to switch to charcoal in her daily operations last week due to the steep increase in LPG prices.
“Dati ho nag-uuling lang kami para sa mga inihaw na putahe, pero ngayon miski sa mga regular items namin gaya ng menudo, giniling, tsaka mga prito, uling na din ginagamit namin,” she said in an interview.
Before the war, the LPG tank she usually bought cost only ₱820 to ₱850. Now, it has skyrocketed to ₱1,200 to ₱1,250.
“Akala ko nabibingi na ako eh, parang hindi matanggap ng tenga ko na ganun na kamahal gasul ngayon. Talagang lugi aabutin namin pag nag-stick kami sa pagluluto gamit gasul,” she added.
Another eatery owner, Mercy, shared that she and her sister were forced to increase food prices to cope not only with the surge in LPG but also with rising ingredient costs.
“Nagtaas na lang kami ng presyo ng mga ulam from ₱60; ngayon ₱70 na po mga ulam namin. Meron pa din naman kaming budget meals tsaka student meals, pero ₱5 lang ginawa naming pagtataas para hindi naman masyado masakit sa bulsa ng mga estudyante,” she explained, noting that this was their way of maintaining quality and quantity despite higher expenses.
Still, Mercy admitted they were reluctant to rely on charcoal.
“Ayaw din naman namin gumamit ng uling kasi miski ‘yun ang mahal na din. Takaw sunog pa tsaka mausok masyado,” she said.
Meanwhile, burger joint owner Resty and his team are practicing strict conservation measures—cooking in bulk and ensuring LPG tanks are tightly shut to avoid leaks.
“Damang-dama namin talaga ngayon ‘yung epekto nung giyera sa Middle East kasi nagsisirit na mga presyo ng bilihin pati LPG. Hindi nga tayo binobomba gaya doon sa kanila, pero binobomba naman tayo ng inflation,” he said.
He also expressed frustration over poor governance. “Nakakagigil pa kasi pamahal ng pamahal mga bilihin pero padami din ng padami ninanakaw ng mga kurakot. Sa laki ng ninanakaw nila, wala nang natitira sa kaban ng bayan kaya ngayon hirap tayo tulungan ng gobyerno,” Resty exclaimed. (Patrick Garcia)
