SP Sotto: All senators expected to attend possible special session amid oil crisis

Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III acknowledged Wednesday that the Senate may conduct a special legislative session even when it’s on a break to respond to the problems resulting from the global oil crisis.

This, as President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. declared a state of national energy emergency and ordered the adoption of a Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) for affected sectors.

With this, Sotto told reporters that he expects all senators will be present to attend the special session, should Malacañang call for one. 

“All legislators are expected to respond to any special session the President may call,” the Senate President said. 

Asked if he already told his colleagues to be prepared or make themselves available for such possibility, Sotto said, “I will if needed. Not at the moment, but I'm sure they are aware of developments in the country.”

The Senate and the House of Representatives are currently on session break and will resume session on May 4.  

With the adoption of the UPLIFT, a whole-of-government response is activated to ensure energy supply stability, support key sectors such as transport, agriculture, and MSMEs, and protect Filipinos amid global oil supply disruptions caused by the Middle East conflict.

Slow response?

While he welcomed the declaration of a state of national energy emergency, Senator JV Ejercito said it might have been “a little bit late” considering that prices of petroleum products are already skyrocketing. 

He also said that some government agencies have been “reactive” and failed to implement proactive measures immediately.

“Hindi naman mabagal, mukhang sobra lang ang bagal. Kasi reactive eh,” Ejercito said at the Kapihan sa Senado forum. 

(They’re not just slow. It seems that they are very slow because they are reactive.) 

“So dapat from, on the onset of the crisis, nag-adjust na kaagad sila ng minimum required inventory. Dapat proactive eh. Naa-ano ako sa mga ahensya, napaka-reactive,” he added. 

(On the onset of the crisis, they should have immediately adjusted the minimum required inventory. They should be proactive. I feel like the agencies are very reactive.) 

Immediate relief 

Other senators also backed the declaration, saying that immediate relief should now be provided to Filipino families affected by the crisis. 

Senator Loren Legarda said that Marcos’ declaration is an “overdue recognition” of what the people have been saying for weeks now—-that the Philippines is already in a crisis. 

“By itself, a declaration of a state of national energy emergency will not protect Filipino families from rising fuel prices, higher food costs, heavier transport expenses, and the mounting burdens on our farmers and fisherfolk. But with such recognition, our actions can finally proceed in their proper light—mapa-isyu man ng suplay o presyo, ang kasalukuyang estado ng ekonomiya ay isyung diretso sa sikmura ng mamamayan, bagay na hindi matutugunan ng isang business-as-usual approach,” she said. 

(May it be an issue on supply or price, the current state of the economy is an issue that directly hits the people’s stomach—something that cannot be addressed by a business-as-usual approach.) 

Legarda said the declaration will only have real meaning if it becomes the basis for a swift, coordinated, and compassionate action that would give immediate relief to Filipino families and guide the nation through the situation. 

She said that she is also considering the filing of a new Bayanihan Law, or a similar measure, that will provide the government with tools to respond to the current energy crisis.

Senator Risa Hontiveros likewise said the declaration shows that Malacañang is already acknowledging that the soaring fuel prices are not ordinary and so the response should not be business as usual. 

“Bagamat papunta sa tamang direksyon, malinaw rin na kukulangin ang executive order kung wala namang sapat at agarang ayuda na mararamdaman ang ating mga kababayan,” she said. 

(Although it is heading in the right direction, it is also clear that the executive order will not be enough if there is no sufficient and immediate aid given to our countrymen.) 

Hontiveros also reiterated her call for the passage of the P52.8-billion supplemental budget bill for the oil crisis response, which may be used for assistance programs such as the expanded transport subsidy for drivers, agricultural subsidy for farmers and fisherfolk, and repatriation and reintegration for returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). 

But Senator Imee Marcos stressed that the government should not heavily rely on short-term relief and instead pursue a clear energy strategy.

“Piecemeal ayuda is a band-aid. The solution is a realistic, wide-ranging and strategic plan for the survival of every Filipino through this global crisis,” she said.

Imee Marcos, sister of the President, also urged the government to engage more aggressively with regional and global partners, following the declaration of a state of national energy emergency. 

She also pointed out the need to mobilize state institutions such as the Philippine National Oil Company to pursue longer-term solutions.

State of national emergency

For his part, Senator Bam Aquino reiterated that a broader state of national emergency, and not just a state of national energy emergency, is needed to enable the government to control the prices of goods and commodities. 

“Kapag merong state of national emergency, unang una, meron kang price control. ‘Yung ating essential goods tsaka basic commodities, hindi na pwedeng itaas sa merkado habang may  state of emergency. ‘Yun ‘yung isang hinahanap natin,” Aquino said in an Unang Balita interview. 

(When there is a state of national emergency, first of all, you have price controls. The prices of our essential goods and basic commodities in the market could not be increased while there is a state of emergency. That is what we are looking for.) 

He also pointed out that it is unclear under the executive order if local government units could utilize their quick response fund to extend assistance to their constituents.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate committee on finance, said that Marcos’ declaration is a necessary step “that enables the government to take extraordinary measures to cushion the impact of the Middle East crisis on Filipino households and the broader economy.”

He also emphasized that it must be ensured that the mechanisms outlined in the executive order are implemented efficiently and transparently. 

“Handa tayong makipagtulungan sa buong UPLIFT Committee upang matiyak ang sapat na suplay ng enerhiya, tuloy-tuloy na takbo ng ekonomiya, at maayos na kalagayan ng ating mga OFWs at mga sektor na higit na apektado, kabilang ang PUV drivers, mga magsasaka, mangingisda, at mga manggagawa,” Gatchalian added. 

(We are ready to work with the entire UPLIFT Committee to ensure adequate energy supply, continuous economic growth, and the well-being of our OFWs and sectors that are most affected, including PUV drivers, farmers, fishermen, and other workers.) — RSJ, GMA Integrated News