MANILA, Philippines — The crisis committee President Marcos ordered created “does not start, but sustains and strengthens” the multiple mitigation measures to cushion the impact of the ongoing crisis in the Middle East on vulnerable sectors, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said yesterday.
Recto did not provide specific details about the crisis body, but said that the interagency committee that will be formed through a presidential order “institutes a division of labor which scales up work to agencies with clear assignments.”
Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro on Monday announced the creation of the crisis committee, which she said is “being finalized.”
As it is impossible to predict the end of the war in the Middle East, Recto said the next logical option is to create the administrative structure to better handle a possible long drawn out crisis.
“Even if the war will end tomorrow, even if the actors will come to their senses that their missile duel should stop, normalization will not instantaneously follow. The damage has to be repaired,” the executive secretary said.
“The road to normalcy will still be challenging. For example, oil and gas facilities destroyed will leave a gaping hole in global supply that will keep fuel prices elevated,” he said.
“This is the same sense of urgency that justifies the creation of a committee that will address a still evolving situation,” Recto added.
He maintained the government is making available tens of billions of pesos for aid that would mitigate the effects of skyrocketing oil prices on vulnerable groups.
‘Acknowledge the crisis’
Senators urged the Marcos administration to officially acknowledge the ongoing economic situation as an “oil crisis,” criticizing Malacañang’s recent statements downplaying the severe impact of consecutive pump price hikes on Filipino households.
During yesterday’s hearing of the newly formed Senate proactive response and oversight for timely and effective crisis strategy committee, lawmakers slammed the executive branch’s lack of urgency, warning that refusing to acknowledge the crisis only delays the rollout of life-saving economic interventions.
“If we do not admit that there’s a crisis in the Middle East affecting our OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) and their families, affecting the prices of our petroleum products, energy, food prices, transport and displacing millions of Filipinos, the agencies will not act with urgency,” Sen. Loren Legarda said.
In a separate statement, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) called the Marcos administration out of touch with reality.
“Saying there is no crisis shows an utter lack of urgency and gross detachment from reality,” Bayan president Renato Reyes asked.
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) likewise demanded decisive action from the government.
“There is really no crisis that those in power will feel because their pockets are full of taxes stolen from the people and they are the ones who control the public treasury. But for the average citizen, every peso increase in the price of oil means an additional burden,” ACT chairperson Ruby Bernardo said.
Loren fires at Garin
Tensions flared when Legarda rebuked the Department of Energy (DOE) at yesterday’s hearing for seemingly blaming the chamber’s legislative break for the delayed approval of a multibillion-peso funding request for the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC).
Legarda also slammed the absence of DOE Secretary Sharon Garin, accusing the energy chief of “politicking” in the middle of a national economic crisis.
Legarda pointed out that the official was present at the Senate the previous week to lobby for biofuels, yet was missing during a critical hearing specifically convened to address the oil crisis.
“I can’t think of anything more important than this hearing convened by the chair. And if the other Cabinet members (are) here, why could the most important department not be present?” she asked.
Garin showed up at the Senate panel later in the hearing. — Neil Jayson Servallos, Emmanuel Tupas, Bella Cariaso
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