By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos | Philippine News Agency
Malacañang on Friday said the proposal to repeal the Oil Deregulation Law must be carefully studied to determine its overall impact on the economy and consumers.
In a press briefing in Iloilo City, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the administration welcomes all suggestions aimed at addressing the rising fuel prices.
She stressed, however, that any proposal involving major economic policy shifts requires a comprehensive review before any decision is made.
“With regard to Oil Deregulation Law, sinabi po natin na lahat po ng suggestion ay welcome. Nothing is off the table. Pero mas maganda pa rin po talagang maaral ito, lalong-lalo na ng mga mambabatas. Ang repeal ng Oil Deregulation Law ay nasa kamay ng Kongreso,” she said.
She added that while the intent of proposed reforms may be to ease the burden on consumers, unintended negative effects on various sectors, including oil stakeholders, must also be considered.
“Mas maganda po na mas maaral ito para makita natin kung anong epekto nito sa stakeholders, sa bansa at sa ating mga kababayan,” Castro said.
“Dapat kung magkakaroon man ng repeal ng isang batas, dapat ito ay pangkalahatang pangkaginhawaan. Dahil kung ito ay magdudulot ng negatibo sa oil industries, hindi rin po ito magiging maganda sa ating bansa,” she added.
Castro said policies should ultimately aim to promote the welfare of the general public.
She said the government supports policymaking that balances stability and industry sustainability.
“So, dapat pong pag-aralan para kung ano yung mas makakabuti sa ating lahat at sa bansa, yun ang dapat manaig,” she said.
There have been mounting calls to repeal the Oil Deregulation Law to enable the government to regain oversight of fuel pricing amid rising costs.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. earlier said the government is focused on implementing long-term solutions to address energy woes, acknowledging that it would take some time to amend or repeal the Oil Deregulation Law.
Marcos open to proposal to suspend BSKE
Castro also said that Marcos is willing to study any legislative measure that could potentially improve government efficiency and generate savings, including proposals seeking the postponement of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).
“Ang Pangulo at gobyernong ito ay open sa lahat ng maaaring suggestions na siyang makakabuti sa ating bansa,” Castro said.
She cited lawmakers’ statements that the possible government savings could reach P16 billion, should Marcos decide to suspend the twin elections.
Castro, however, stressed that the proposal must undergo careful evaluation.
“So, kung magkakaroon sila ng anumang bill or panukala dito, aaralin po ito ng Pangulo. Basta po ito ay makakabuti sa ating bansa, open po ang Pangulo para diyan,” she said.
Some House lawmakers are pushing for the postponement of the BSKE scheduled for November 2026 and the reallocation of its unspent funds for the government’s response to the energy emergency.
The Commission on Elections has expressed openness to the proposal but raised constitutional concerns over realigning the budget for other government programs.
