Is the President’s declaration of a state of national energy emergency too late?

A political science professor in Iloilo City thinks this may be the case.

“Almost triple na itong ating presyo ng petrolyo and sinasabi natin, bakit wala pa ring ginagawa? Yung pag-declare niya, ang tagal nating inantay,” said Prof. Ramon Beleno III.

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. declared a state of national energy emergency on March 24, 2026 weeks after the prices of fuel started skyrocketing because of the tension in the Middle East.

Beleno said the government should have put in place concrete measures quickly in the early days of the crisis.

Now, with the creation of the so-called UPLIFT (Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport) Committee through Executive Order No. 1-1-0, Beleno said the government better come up with programs fast so that corruption will not have the time to creep in.

UPLIFT aims to ensure that the country will continue to have enough supply of fuel, food, medicine, and agricultural products; and transportation, public services, and healthcare facilities will continue.

“Yung tanong ko kasi, ano ang trabaho ng UPLIFT Committee? ‘Yun ba ay coordinating body, safeguarding body, ‘yun ba ay to make sure na everything is smooth na hindi mapupunta sa korapsyon? ‘Yun yung inaabangan pa natin,” Beleno said.

Student Jaspher Encarguez agrees and said the government should have been proactive. 

“Andyan na ang crisis, so dapat, before ang crisis, mayroon na sanang prior na solution in order for us na maging ready sa mga nangyayari,” he said.

One of the agencies of government that is part of UPLIFT is the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

According to LTFRB-6, the agency is expediting the release of of fuel subsidy to PUV drivers.

“Anytime this week ir baka nagsimula na. We are expecting na makapasok na sa accounts nila,” said Atty. Joscet Abellar, Chief of the Technical Section of LTFRB-VI.

On March 26, the President also signed Republic Act (RA) No. 12316, the law that would enable him to suspend or reduce the excise tax on petroleum products.