Calls mount for Congress special session on fuel prices

MANILA, Philippines — More House officials have appealed to President Duterte to call for a special session of Congress so that lawmakers can discuss measures to ease the impact of soaring oil prices triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Deputy Speakers Bernadette Herrera, Rufus Rodriguez and Reps. Joey Salceda (Albay) and LRay Villafuerte (Camarines Sur) yesterday said they are supporting the initiative of Deputy Speaker Mikee Romero to convince Duterte to call for a special session.

“I support the proposal of my colleagues for a special session. We have to act now before the cost of crude and domestic fuel prices rise further,” Rodriguez, who represents Cagayan de Oro City, said.

“We can meet virtually for a few days to act on those proposals.”

Regardless of how the Russia-Ukraine conflict would unfold, Salceda said Duterte should call on lawmakers to convene a special session if the prices of crude oil in the world market remain pegged at $100 per barrel by mid-March.

“If crude oil prices are still at $100 by March 15, President Duterte should call for a special session to consider options for the reduction or suspension of the fuel excise taxes under the TRAIN Law,” Salceda, chairman of the House ways and means committee, said.

Romero of 1Pacman party-list led the call for a special session when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine became imminent.

“Let us not wait for crude and domestic prices to hit $100 per barrel and P100 per liter, let us not wait for a mass outcry from our people before we give them relief from sky-high fuel prices by suspending oil taxes,” Romero said earlier.

“If it is really necessary and President Duterte calls for it, we are more than willing to take part in the special session with the end goal of providing much-needed relief to our people amid unstoppable rise in crude prices,” Herrera of Bagong Henerasyon party-list said.

“The higher costs will be passed on to ordinary consumers who have no choice but to deal with rising prices of food, electricity, water and other goods and services,” Herrera pointed out.

“Rather than taking their own sweet time about their SPR plan to help stabilize the domestic supply and prices of petroleum products, energy officials should start working triple time on the long-planned establishment of a national fuel reserve,” Villafuerte said. SPR stands for strategic petroleum reserve.

He said DOE officials should put this SPR plan “in motion in preparation for future conflicts, supply hitches or any other geopolitical developments or catastrophes that could drive fuel prices to later go up north anew beyond the reach of ordinary Filipinos.”

“I am disgusted by our energy officials’ utter lack of a sense of urgency in doing nothing except to prepare to do a study on the SPR that the DOE has been talking about for almost two years now,” Villafuerte said.

“As more people get vaccinated, economic activity resumed. More people use energy and the transport sector resulting in higher oil demand, but production is not increasing,” DOE Undersecretary Gerardo Erguiza said.

Last week, the Brent breached the $105 per barrel level – the first time since 2014 – after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Lower production by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies (OPEC+) has further put upward pressure on oil prices.

Erguiza, however, said the DOE does not expect local pump prices to reach P100 per liter if the Brent crude reaches $120 per barrel.

“In the meantime, while we’re in this situation, we avoid unnecessary travels,” he said, stressing energy conservation efforts by end-users. – Helen Flores, Jose Rodel Clapano, Danessa Rivera