MANILA — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has signed an Executive Order declaring a state of national energy emergency in light of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, and the resulting imminent danger posed upon the availability and stability of the country’s energy supply.
The declaration is anchored on the determination by the Secretary of Energy that recent hostilities in the Middle East involving the United States of America, Israel, and Iran have heightened geopolitical tensions in the region that plays a critical role in global oil production and transportation, creating uncertainty in global energy markets, severe disruptions in supply chains, and significant volatility and upward pressure on international oil prices, thereby posing a threat to the country’s energy security.
The Executive Order further cites the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical energy corridor for global oil shipments, as disrupting the flow of petroleum products to international markets and constraining global fuel supply, with corresponding implications on the stability and adequacy of domestic energy supply. As a net importer of petroleum products, the Philippines remains highly dependent on external sources of fuel supply and is therefore vulnerable to disruptions in global oil production and transportation.
The Executive Order is issued pursuant to Section 25 of Republic Act No. 7638, otherwise known as the Department of Energy Act of 1992, which authorizes the President, upon determination and recommendation of the Secretary of Energy, to declare a critically low energy supply or imminent danger thereof, and authorize the implementation of the fuel and energy allocation plan and other energy conservation measures.
To safeguard national interest by ensuring the stability of domestic energy supply, the uninterrupted delivery of essential services, the continuity of economic activity, and the welfare of all citizens, particularly vulnerable sectors, and to mitigate the impact of the conflict in the Middle East, the Executive Order adopts the Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) as the government’s coordinated, whole-of-government response framework.
The UPLIFT Committee is hereby convened to oversee and coordinate the implementation of UPLIFT. The Committee is chaired by the President of the Philippines, with the Executive Secretary and the Secretaries of the Department of Energy, Department of Transportation, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Agriculture, Department of Finance, Department of Economy Planning and Development, and Department of Budget and Management as members. The Department of Economy Planning and Development shall serve as Secretariat.
Under the Executive Order, the Department of Energy is directed and authorized to take appropriate measures to safeguard the stability and adequacy of the country’s energy supply.
These measures include the implementation of fuel and energy optimization plans; adoption and enforcement of energy conservation measures; action against hoarding, profiteering, and supply manipulation; and direction of the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) and PNOC Exploration Corporation to assist in ensuring the stability and adequacy of the domestic fuel and energy supply.
The DOE, PNOC, and PNOC-EC are authorized to undertake the procurement of required fuel and petroleum products and, when deemed necessary as certified by the Secretary of Energy, to make advance payment of an amount exceeding 15% of the contract amount.
The Executive Order likewise directs concerned departments, agencies, offices, and instrumentalities to implement necessary response measures.
The Department of Transportation shall provide measures to mitigate the impact on the transport sector and the commuting public, including fuel subsidy allocations, commuter fare subsidies, expansion and improvement of public transport services through the Libreng Sakay Program, extension of operating hours of the Light Rail Transit and Metro Rail Transit systems, and review of appropriate measures to reduce transport costs such as the temporary reduction, suspension, or deferral of toll charges, aviation charges, landing fees, and other similar assessments.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development shall expedite the release of assistance under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) and provide appropriate social welfare and livelihood support to affected sectors, including transport workers, farmers, fisherfolk, displaced workers, repatriated Overseas Filipino Workers, and other vulnerable groups through the Sustainable Livelihood Program.
The Department of Agriculture is directed to monitor and ensure the adequate supply of agricultural inputs and food products, undertake necessary measures to maintain their availability at the lowest possible cost, and implement assistance programs for farmers and fisherfolk, including the release of funds under the Presidential Assistance for Farmers and Fisherfolk (PAFF) program and the utilization of the Quick Response Fund.
The Department of Migrant Workers is directed to mobilize mechanisms for the monitoring, rescue, evacuation, and repatriation of distressed Overseas Filipino Workers when warranted, and to expedite the release of the Agarang Kalinga at Saklolo para sa OFW na Nangangailangan (AKSYON) Fund and related financial assistance for qualified OFWs and their dependents.
The Department of Trade and Industry is directed to monitor and, when warranted, implement remedies to address excessive or unreasonable price increases on basic necessities and prime commodities, and implement support programs for micro, small, and medium enterprises.
Local government units are strongly urged to actively support the National Government by undertaking measures within their respective jurisdictions that support, facilitate, and complement the national policies and agency directives, and to allocate necessary resources, including funding and personnel, to mitigate the impact of the disruptions in the global fuel supply.
The declaration of national energy emergency shall remain in force and effect for one year from issuance, unless otherwise extended or lifted by the President. The Executive Order shall take effect immediately upon publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
