By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
As Filipinos brace for yet another round of impending oil price hikes brought about by the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, Malacañang continues to look for solutions to mitigate the impact of this oil crisis on the common folk.
In a video message uploaded on social media on Sunday, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. acknowledged the repercussions of increasing fuel expenses on the transportation sector.
He went on to emphasize that various initiatives such as the Love Bus free ride program in Metro Manila, Cebu, and Davao, as well as the 50% discount on blue and white Beep cards for MRT 2 and MRT 3 riders, would continue to benefit commuters.
Earlier, President Marcos Jr. led the distribution of P5,000 fuel subsidy to tricycle drivers in Metro Manila, promising other PUV drivers, farmers, and fisherfolk similar financial assistance during these difficult times.
The President said in his vlog, noting that the government is in talks with allied nations for a possible supply arrangement to augment the country’s oil buffer stocks, “Naintindihan natin ang sigaw ng mga nagpoprotestang kababayan nating nasa sector na ito. Pero gusto kong ulitin sa inyo, hindi kayo maiiwanan, hindi kayo pababayaan ng pamahalaan.”
On basic goods, power-generation, repatriation of OFWs
Meanwhile, President Marcos Jr. assured the citizenry that the country’s food supply and prices of basic commodities remain stable amid rising fuel and transportation costs.
Such was also said for the supply of the country’s staple grain, which remains adequate and affordable to feed the nation and sustain the administration’s “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na” initiative.
He likewise stressed that the government continues to collaborate with energy firms to ensure an adequate and stable supply of electricity, with 23 power projects having a combined capacity of 900 megawatts expected to bolster the domestic power grid.
“Sa supply naman ng kuryente, kinakausap ang mga power-generation company upang madagdagan pa ang kapasidad ng ating mga grid sa susunod na 60 days. Ongoing din ang koordinasyon sa paggamit ng Malampaya Natural Gas na full capacity para madagdagan naman ang supply natin sa kuryente.”
President Marcos Jr. also shared figures of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) that were successfully repatriated from the Gulf states amid various logistical challenges.
As of press time, approximately 1,400 OFWs and 334 dependents safely arrived at the Philippines between March 5-17, and were provided with prompt interventions by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).
The Chief Executive concluded his video message by urging the citizenry to work together as the country navigates a challenging phenomenon that strikes a chord with the common folk, reminding Filipinos to use this period as an opportunity to bring bayanihan at the forefront of society.
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