House approves anti-crisis KALINGA bill on final reading

The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved on third and final reading the Komprehensibong Alalay sa Livelihood, Inflation, Negosyo at Goods Assistance (KALINGA) Act, which outlines an aid distribution system in case of emergencies.

This developed after House Bill 9305 with gathered 294 yes votes, three negative votes and zero abstention during Wednesday’s session.

Under the bill, the President may declare a state of national energy emergency if global crude oil prices remain elevated for a sustained period, domestic fuel prices sharply increase, or national fuel inventories fall below critical supply levels.

Once any of these conditions are met, the bill allows implementation of temporary emergency measures aimed at stabilizing prices, protecting vulnerable sectors, preserving essential services, securing supply chains, and cushioning the economy from external shocks.

Other key features of the Kalinga bill include:

• targeted cash assistance
• fuel subsidies
• transport support
• food vouchers
• electricity subsidies,
• medium, small and micro enterprises aid, agricultural and fisheries assistance
• emergency financing programs
• logistics support and
• strategic fuel reserve mechanisms.

“This measure is needed for a quick, decisive and coordinated government response during times of crisis,” House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Representative Sandro Marcos, one of the authors of House Bill 9305, said in a statement.

“The government should not scramble for solutions every time a global fuel crisis hits,” Marcos added.

Further, the measure identifies low-income households, minimum wage earners, displaced workers, public transport drivers and operators, delivery riders, farmers, fisherfolk, logistics providers, MSMEs, overseas Filipino workers and other vulnerable sectors as priority beneficiaries of government interventions during periods of emergency.

In addition, the Kalinga bill allows emergency procurement measures, fuel inventory monitoring, contingency supply plans, concessional credit programs, crop and fisheries support, temporary regulatory relief, and energy conservation and demand management measures.

The bill also mandates the use of interoperable digital beneficiary databases, verified registries, digital payment systems, and automated validation platforms for the distribution of aid and subsidies.

There are 156 other authors of the Kalinga bill, including Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III of Isabela. — BM, GMA News