By Brian Campued
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has directed the Department of Energy (DOE) to continue exploring other sources of oil from countries not affected by the ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
In a press conference at Malacañan Palace on Wednesday, the President stressed that while the current domestic inventory may suffice for about 45 days, the country still needs to secure additional oil supply to ensure uninterrupted delivery of fuel and other essential goods.
“Right now, I’m very confident in saying that we have sufficient supply. We will continue to source those supplies. I do not think that there is a problem, sa aming analysis, wala tayong problema para sa supply para sa petrolyo at petroleum products,” Marcos said.
“Huwag niyong titigilan, maghanap pa kayo ng supply dahil hindi natin alam kung gaano katagal pa ito,” he added, noting that the government is working to source supplies from countries not affected by the war in the Middle East, such as Japan, China, South Korea, India, and Russia.
Recognizing that the government is exercising all of the options available to mitigate the impact of the global oil crisis on Filipinos, the Chief Executive stressed that he declared a state of national energy emergency “to provide the government with more options should the need arise.”
According to Marcos, the Executive Order 110 he signed on Tuesday not only gives the government power to procure oil without going through lengthy processes but also to make government efforts more coordinated.
“Binibigyan nito ang ating pamahalaan ng mga kapangyarihang kumilos nang mas mabilis, bumili ng langis nang hindi na kailangang dumaan pa sa matagal na proseso, at pagsamahin ang lahat ng ahensya sa isang direksyon,” he explained.
He likewise assured the public that there is no reason to panic, as the government is doing what it can “to assess and to alleviate the situation.”
Meanwhile, the President said he is looking to sign the measure that will allow him temporarily suspend or reduce oil excise tax “by the end of the day.”
“Titingnan ngayon natin kailan ang pinakamagandang oras, when is the best time to use that new authority because there are conditions within the law that have to be satisfied,” he clarified.
Once implemented, gasoline prices could drop by around P10 per liter, while diesel may go down by about P6 per liter.
Complementary measures
The government has also begun distributing fuel subsidies to public transport operators and drivers, farmers, and fisherfolk to cushion the impact of higher fuel costs.
This is on top of continued repatriation efforts for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and stranded Filipinos in the Middle East who wish to go back to the Philippines.
Marcos said more than 16,000 OFWs have so far received assistance from the government, with over 2,000 OFWs already repatriated. He assured that repatriation efforts will continue to ensure the safety of affected OFWs.
Other government interventions include the Love Bus “Libreng Sakay” program, 50% discount on MRT-3 and LRT-2, toll discounts for public utility vehicles and cargo trucks, lower terminal fees in commercial airports operated by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), as well as the P1 Roll on-Roll off (RoRo) terminal fee for vehicles carrying agricultural products.
Producers likewise assured the government that they will maintain current prices of basic commodities for as long as existing inventories last.
Local government units are also set to provide free rice through the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF).
“Nais kong maging malinaw tungkol sa aming prayoridad. Hindi natin kontrolado ang presyo ng langis sa mundo. Iyan ang katotohanan na ating hinaharap. Ngunit ang hindi maaaring mangyari ay maramdaman ng bawat Pilipino ang buong bigat nitong mga pangyayari na wala naman silang kinalaman,” Marcos said.
“Isa lamang ang aming pamantayan: agaran, pinakamabilis, at direktang mararamdaman ng ordinaryong Pilipino. Hindi bukas, hindi sa susunod na linggo, ngayon. Sa pagkain, sa pamasahe, sa kuryente, sa araw-araw na gastos ng pamilya, ‘yan ang mga hakbang na aming inuuna.” (with reports from Clay Pardilla and Kenneth Paciente / PTV News)
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