The Philippine Congress has urged financial institutions to reduce or temporarily waive transaction and remittance fees to help citizens cope with economic challenges. This resolution aims to ease the impact of rising prices for goods and services caused by the Middle East conflict. Marcos emphasized that adjusting banking-related costs is a practical step to address current economic difficulties. He pointed out that ATM withdrawal fees for non-account holders can reach 18 Philippine pesos, while interbank online transfer fees can go as high as 25 pesos—amounts that represent a significant portion of the daily minimum wage in Metro Manila. Additionally, Marcos highlighted that remittance fees, both domestic and international, place an additional burden on users, especially overseas Filipino workers and their families. With fuel prices rising due to the Middle East crisis, Marcos called on Congress to explore all possible measures to support Filipino workers and mitigate the effects of global price increases.
