Philippine gas prices keep rising — and the reasons go far deeper than wars or global oil markets. This piece breaks down the MOPS pricing formula, the Oil Deregulation Law that stripped the government of any power to intervene, and why prices shoot up in days but take weeks to come down. If you've ever stared at a pump and wondered why you're paying for oil nobody has bought yet, this is the explanation you've been looking for. This is an AI-voiced reading from Morning Coffee Thoughts.