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Lacson Urges Govt: Go Beyond Ayuda, Craft Direct Support for Filipinos Hit by Fuel Crisis

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Tuesday urged the government to go beyond traditional “ayuda” and explore more targeted measures to support Filipinos affected by the fuel crisis triggered by the conflict in the Middle East – including a possible fuel subsidy.

Lacson said the government may study approaches used by neighboring economies such as Taiwan, which implements subsidy mechanisms to help cushion fuel price spikes.

“Hindi ako nagmamarunong. Ang suggestion ko lang, pag-aralang mabuti kung anong mas nakakabuti sa sektor na talagang apektado (I am not playing a know-it-all but my suggestion is to study ways to benefit the sectors that are directly affected),” he said in an interview on DZBB radio.

In Filipino: Lacson Hinimok ang Gobyerno: Higit sa Ayuda, Bumuo ng Direktang Suporta para sa mga Pilipinong Apektado ng Krisis sa Langis

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Lacson: Blue Ribbon Panel Pushing Ban on Allocables and Leadership Fund

Abolish the system of allocables and the “leadership fund” from the national budget, strengthen transparency in the budget process, and expand the powers of the Office of the Ombudsman to pursue corruption cases.

Senate President Pro Tempore and Blue Ribbon Chairman Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Tuesday that these are among the emerging recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Committee’s probe into anomalous flood control projects.

These are aside from the Blue Ribbon Committee’s hearings being instrumental in the ongoing preliminary investigations of the Department of Justice and the Ombudsman into key figures involved in the scandal – including former and incumbent lawmakers – as well as the trial happening at the Sandiganbayan, he emphasized.

Lacson pointed out that “almost all the recommendations in the partial committee report have already been overtaken by events as they are already being undertaken and in fact the said preliminary investigations are nearing completion if not completed already.”

“(Kasama sa rekomendasyon ng komite ang) ibawal ang allocables at leadership fund. Ito ang reporma tungkol sa budget. Tapos gawing transparent, of course ginawa namin sa 2026 budget, transparent ang entire budgeting process (Among the committee’s recommendations are to ban allocables and the leadership fund as part of reforms in the budgeting system. And make the crafting of the budget transparent, similar to what we did for the 2026 General Appropriations Act),” Lacson said in an interview on DZBB radio.

In Filipino: Lacson: Blue Ribbon Panel, Itinutulak ang Pagbabawal sa Allocables at Leadership Fund

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Lacson Backs Joint Oil, Gas Exploration with China, With 60-40 Safeguard

Citing ongoing risks to global oil supply due to the conflict in the Middle East, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Sunday the Marcos administration should consider exploring joint energy ventures with China, including in the West Philippine Sea.

Lacson, however, stressed that any such arrangement must strictly comply with the 60-40 foreign ownership provision under the Philippine Constitution.

“Yes. Four-square behind, sinusuportahan ko. Kasi sayang eh. Yayaman tayo doon (Yes. I am supporting this, I’m four-square behind it. There is so much potential. We can benefit greatly from it),” he said in an interview on DZBB radio, when asked if the Marcos administration should consider joint exploration.

In Filipino: Lacson, Suportado ang Joint Oil at Gas Exploration sa China, na may 60-40 Safeguard

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Lacson Pushes Decisive, ‘Extreme’ Measures to Shield Filipinos From Rising Fuel Costs

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

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Lacson: Smuggling, Unchecked Importation, Sloppy Govt Response ‘Killing’ Filipino Onion Farmers

SCIENCE CITY OF MUÑOZ, Nueva Ecija – Aside from smuggling, unchecked onion imports are pushing Filipino farmers to the brink, with disjointed government data and sloppy government response threatening to deepen the problem, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Thursday.

Lacson called out the Department of Agriculture and Philippine Statistics Authority for the discrepancies in their data on onion production and consumption, hindering the government from making the needed decisions to help our onion farmers.

At the hearing of the Senate committees on agriculture and local government here tackling the systemic collapse of onion farm-gate prices, he also scored the “very wide” communication gap between the DA and stakeholders.

“Paano tayo magkaroon ng magandang decision kung di kayo magkasundo (How can we arrive at effective decisions if your data is disjointed)?” he said, particularly addressing the representatives of the DA and PSA here.

“Napakaimportante na kumpleto at accurate ang data para kung magpaplano tayo. Maski sa military operations, kung mali ang assumption, debacle – patay ang lahat na sundalo (It is very important that your data is complete and accurate so we can plan properly. In military operations, if the assumptions are wrong, the soldiers get killed and we experience a debacle),” he added.

In Filipino: Lacson: Bukod sa Smuggling, Di-Kontroladong Pag-aangkat at Palpak na Pagtugon, ‘Pumapatay’ sa Onion Farmers Natin

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