Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Sunday called for decisive – and even “extreme” – government intervention to shield Filipinos from the relentless surge in petroleum prices.
Lacson stressed the government must also disclose its actions against “early” profiteers, noting that any relief from a potential excise tax suspension may not be felt until June — if at all.
He likewise underscored the need to ensure the proper use of some P230 billion in potential funds from the 2025 and 2026 General Appropriations Acts (GAA) to help sectors hit hardest by the fuel crisis.
“May mga batas na pwedeng gamitin ang provision ng mga batas na ito dahil may state of energy emergency. Ngayon kung paano i-implement yan, at kailan gagamitin, kailan i-implement at paano i-implement, yan ang mas importante (We have laws that can be implemented now that there is a state of national energy emergency. What is more important is how and when it will implement these),” he said in an interview on DZBB radio.
In Filipino: Lacson, Itinulak ang Mahigpit na Hakbang para Pangalagaan ang mga Pilipino vs Tumataas na Presyo ng Langis
He noted that under Republic Act 8479 or the Oil Industry Deregulation Act, in times of national emergency and when the public interest so requires, the Department of Energy (DOE) may under reasonable terms temporarily take over or direct the operation of any person or entity engaged in the industry.”
Under a second law, RA 12120 or the Philippine Natural Gas Industry Development Act, the DOE may temporarily take over or direct the operation of any person or entity engaged in the natural gas industry in times of national emergency, when the public interest so requires.
Lacson said a third law, RA 9511 – or the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) franchise act – allows the President to temporarily take over and operate the transmission system and/or subtransmission systems of NGCP, or suspend its operation in the interest of public safety, security, and welfare, with due compensation to the NGCP.
“Extreme measures yan pero kailangan ng government on their toes mag-monitor at kung may talagang pag-aabuso ang sector na ito kailangan pumasok ang government, at least nakaamba para maging babala sa mapag abuso (These are extreme measures but government needs to be on their toes to monitor the situation. And if it sees abuses in the sectors concerned, the government needs to step in, at least to serve as a warning against abuses),” he said. “Kailangang vigilant din dapat ang mga kababayan natin (The public must also remain vigilant).”
Lacson lamented that up to now, the government has yet to update the public on how gasoline stations and dealers that were caught selling fuel at high prices without proper authorization were penalized.
“Kailangan makakuha tayo ng feedback, ano nang nangyari sa sinasabi nilang nahuli nila. Kasi in flagrante yan, plain sight yan. Nakapaskil sa kanilang presyo na tinaas nila agad-agad di pa authorized ng DOE or ng ERC (The public deserves feedback on what happened to the offenders that were caught in plain sight raising fuel prices without authorization from the DOE or Energy Regulatory Commission),” he said.
Lacson pointed out that RA 12316, which grants the President emergency powers to deal with the oil problem, requires a one-month monitoring period before fuel excise taxes can be suspended. During the bill’s interpellation, he had pushed to shorten the one-month window to just two weeks, so the public could receive price relief much faster.
He said that with the law taking effect on April 12, monitoring can start only on that day – and May 12 is the earliest that the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) can meet to recommend a possible suspension of the excise tax.
“Ang bureaucracy pa, (kaya) baka Hunyo na ito maramdaman ng ating mga kababayan (And with the slow bureaucracy, it may take until June for us to feel the relief from the suspension of the excise tax if at all),” he said.
* Using P230-B Wisely
Lacson also emphasized the need for the government to put into good use some P230 billion in potential funds from the 2025 and 2026 budgets. These include almost P200 billion in unobligated and unreleased appropriations in the 2026 GAA, and P31 billion in the 2025 GAA.
He said priority must be given to the most-affected sectors like transport, as assisting it will also help commuters who are from the middle- and low-income brackets.
While the funds may also be used for ayuda, he said the government must ensure a data-driven system to make sure those in need and not political leaders or their relatives will benefit.
“Dapat planuhin ng gobyerno, malinaw ang direction, saan paggagamitan itong pondo na available, at kung saan gagamitin ang ibang power na nakapaloob sa state of energy emergency (The government must plan well, and have a clear direction on where to use the funds – as well as properly use the powers due to the state of energy emergency),” he said.
Lacson also said Executive Secretary Ralph Recto had agreed to his suggestion not to release funds for budget items marked “For Issuance of Special Allotment Release Order” (FISARO) or “For Later Release” especially if these come from insertions of lawmakers who did not consult with regional development councils and implementing agencies.
* Calls for Suspending VAT
Lacson cautioned that calls for suspending the value-added tax for petroleum products will need serious study because the government, which may forego P200 billion in revenues from suspending excise taxes, could forgo more than P320 billion in revenues if it also suspends VAT.
“Hindi ganoon kasimple. Tinitingnan natin suspend-suspend para masiyahan ang kababayan pero ang impact sa GDP natin matindi. Tayo rin in the long or medium term tayo din ang matatamaan (It is not that simple. Some calls for suspending the VAT may sound good to the people but its impact on our economy is huge. We may suffer in the long- or medium-term),” he said.
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Lacson, Itinulak ang Mahigpit na Hakbang para Pangalagaan ang mga Pilipino vs Tumataas na Presyo ng Langis
Nanawagan si Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Linggo ng mahigpit — at kahit “extreme” — na hakbang ng pamahalaan para maprotektahan ang mga Pilipino laban sa patuloy na pagtaas ng presyo ng petrolyo.
Binigyang-diin ni Lacson na dapat ding isapubliko ng pamahalaan ang mga hakbang nito laban sa mga nagsasamantala, at sinabing ang anumang ginhawang dulot ng posibleng pagsuspinde ng excise tax ay maaaring maramdaman pa lamang pagsapit ng Hunyo — kung meron man.
Iginiit din niya ang pangangailangang matiyak ang wastong paggamit ng humigit-kumulang P230 bilyon na posibleng pondo mula sa 2025 at 2026 General Appropriations Acts (GAA) upang matulungan ang mga sektor na pinakaapektado ng krisis sa langis.
“May mga batas na pwedeng gamitin ang provision ng mga batas na ito dahil may state of energy emergency. Ngayon kung paano i-implement yan, at kailan gagamitin, kailan i-implement at paano i-implement, yan ang mas importante,” aniya sa panayam sa DZBB.
Ani Lacson, sa ilalim ng Republic Act 8479, maaaring pansamantalang i-takeover o pangasiwaan ng Department of Energy (DOE) ang operasyon ng sinumang tao o entidad na sangkot sa industriya ng langis, sa pambansang emergency at kung kinakailangan para sa kapakanan ng publiko.
Sa ilalim naman ng Republic Act 12120, maaari ring pansamantalang i-takeover o pangasiwaan ng DOE ang operasyon ng sinumang tao o entidad sa industriya ng natural gas sa panahon ng pambansang emergency kung kinakailangan para sa kapakanan ng publiko.
Pinahihintulutan ng Republic Act 9511 ang Pangulo na pansamantalang kunin at patakbuhin ang transmission system at/o subtransmission systems ng National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), o suspendihin ang operasyon nito para sa kapakanan ng kaligtasan, seguridad, at kapakanan ng publiko, na may kaukulang kabayaran sa NGCP, ani Lacson.
“Extreme measures yan pero kailangan ng government on their toes mag-monitor at kung may talagang pag-aabuso ang sector na ito kailangan pumasok ang government, at least nakaamba para maging babala sa mapag abuso,” aniya. “Kailangang vigilant din dapat ang mga kababayan natin.”
Ikinabahala rin ni Lacson na hanggang ngayon ay wala pang malinaw na update ang pamahalaan kung paano pinarusahan ang mga gasoline station at dealer na nahuling nagbenta ng fuel sa mataas na presyo nang walang tamang pahintulot.
“Kailangan makakuha tayo ng feedback, ano nang nangyari sa sinasabi nilang nahuli nila. Kasi in flagrante yan, plain sight yan. Nakapaskil sa kanilang presyo na tinaas nila agad-agad di pa authorized ng DOE or ng ERC,” he said.
Itinuro ni Lacson na ang Republic Act 12316, na nagbibigay ng emergency powers sa Pangulo upang tugunan ang problema sa langis, ay nangangailangan ng isang buwang monitoring period bago maisuspinde ang excise tax sa fuel. Sa interpellation ni Lacson ng panukala, iminungkahi niyang paikliin ito sa dalawang linggo upang mas mabilis maramdaman ng publiko ang ginhawa sa presyo.
Aniya, dahil epektibo pa lamang ang batas sa Abril 12, doon pa lang maaaring magsimula ang monitoring—at Mayo 12 pa ang pinakamaagang petsa na maaaring magpulong ang Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) upang magrekomenda ng posibleng pagsuspinde ng excise tax.
“Ang bureaucracy pa, (kaya) baka Hunyo na ito maramdaman ng ating mga kababayan,” aniya.
* Maayos na Paggamit ng P230 Bilyon
Binigyang-diin din ni Lacson ang pangangailangang magamit nang maayos ang humigit-kumulang P230 bilyong pondo mula sa 2025 at 2026 badyet. Kabilang dito ang halos P200 bilyong hindi pa na-oobliga at hindi pa nailalabas na pondo sa 2026 GAA, at P31 bilyon sa 2025 GAA.
Aniya, dapat unahin ang mga sektor na pinakaapektado gaya ng transportasyon, dahil ang pagtulong dito ay makikinabang din ang mga commuter, lalo na ang mula sa middle- at low-income na sektor.
Bagaman maaari ring gamitin ang pondo para sa ayuda, sinabi niyang dapat tiyakin ng pamahalaan ang isang data-driven na sistema upang masigurong ang tunay na nangangailangan—at hindi mga politiko o kanilang kamag-anak—ang makikinabang.
“Dapat planuhin ng gobyerno, malinaw ang direction, saan paggagamitan itong pondo na available, at kung saan gagamitin ang ibang power na nakapaloob sa state of energy emergency,” aniya.
Dagdag ni Lacson, sang-ayon si Executive Secretary Ralph Recto sa kanyang mungkahing huwag munang ilabas ang pondo para sa mga item sa badyet na may markang “For Issuance of Special Allotment Release Order” (FISARO) o “For Later Release,” lalo na kung ito ay nagmula sa mga insertions ng mambabatas na hindi dumaan sa konsultasyon sa regional development councils at implementing agencies.
* Panawagan na Suspendihin ang VAT
Nagbabala si Lacson na ang mga panawagang isuspinde ang value-added tax (VAT) sa petroleum products ay nangangailangan ng masusing pag-aaral dahil sa malaking epekto nito sa kita ng pamahalaan.
Aniya, kung ang pagsuspinde ng excise tax ay maaaring magdulot ng pagkawala ng humigit-kumulang P200 bilyon sa kita ng gobyerno, maaari namang lumampas sa P320 bilyon ang mawawala kung pati VAT ay isususpinde.
“Hindi ganoon kasimple. Tinitingnan natin suspend-suspend para masiyahan ang kababayan pero ang impact sa GDP natin matindi. Tayo rin in the long or medium term tayo din ang matatamaan,” aniya.
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