By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
As the repercussions of geopolitical developments in the Middle East continue to cause global shocks, Malacañang said that the government is hard at work to address the resulting inflationary pressures.
This, as President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ordered government agencies to prioritize stabilizing the supply and prices of food, fuel, and electricity, which have spiked in recent months.
In a press briefing held at the Philippine Embassy in Singapore on Wednesday, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro stressed the importance of maintaining adequate buffer stocks of fuel that keep the wheels of economy turning.
“Kabilin-bilinan ng Pangulo na hindi dapat mawalan ng supply ang Pilipinas ng fuel. Kapag nahinto ang supply ng fuel, sobra ang magiging epekto nito sa bansa natin at baka talaga magkaroon ng paghinto, ang mga businesses at mas lalong malaki ang epekto sa ating ekonomiya.”
Usec. Castro went on to cite the implementation of programs to help ease the burden of Filipinos, such as:
- Removal of 12% VAT on allowable system loss charge in electricity bills
- Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) programs
- Tulong Panghanapbuhay Para sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD)
- P12/L fuel subsidy for PUJ and UV Express Drivers
- Free Rice Programs
- Pork supply management
On ensuring adequate food supply and boosting food security, she noted the current expansion of palay storage facilities in Tarlac and the utilization of the country’s first commercially approved African swine fever vaccine to help stabilize the pork supply, especially with the upcoming holiday season.
The Malacañang official also issued an update on the administration’s super El Niño response, “Pinalalakas din ang koordinasyon ng DA (Department of Agriculture), sa pangunguna ni Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel Jr. – at PAGASA para mas maging handa ang sektor agrikultura sa epekto ng pabago-bagong panahon.”
Meanwhile, Usec. Castro assured the citizenry that Philippine health officials remain vigilant about the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendations in response to a Russian plague outbreak, allaying fears about the spread of the infection on domestic shores.
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