00:00Several senators are in full support of the president's proposal on emergency powers
00:04to temporarily reduce or even suspend excise tax and fuel products
00:08in preparation for the effects of the tensions in the Middle East.
00:12Luisa Arispe has the details.
00:16The Senate is ready to study possibility of granting President Ferdinand R. Marcus Jr.
00:22emergency powers to adjust excise taxes should oil prices hit $80 per barret
00:28due to the conflict in the Middle East.
00:30According to Senate President Vicente Soto III,
00:33if it will help the Filipino people, he is ready to support it.
00:37Mag-uusapan muna namin. Mag-uusapan namin kung paano.
00:40Siyempre ako, on a personal opinion,
00:46basta't makakatulong at makakaangat sa problema natin,
00:51sa magiging maaaring problema natin dito sa ringyayari sa Middle East,
00:56siyempre payag ako.
00:57However, Soto also suggested that if the government stands to lose billions in revenue
01:03due to excise tax cuts, the Philippines' oil reserves could be utilized first.
01:08Meron pa yatang mga two or three months na reserve tayo.
01:12So, ayon sa Pangulo, kung ganun yung statement niya,
01:16ibig sabihin niyan, eh, kung ito naman, ito naman, ito naman, ito naman, ito naman, ito naman, ito naman, ito
01:19magal.
01:19So, we might be worried about something that we should not be worried about at this point.
01:24So, in the meantime, agaralan namin.
01:27Soto is also calling for a look into potential profiteering amid price fluctuations,
01:32noting that prices should not immediately increase given the country's existing reserves.
01:38Kailangan kasi tahin yung, kailangan kasi tahin yung gobierno, may reserve pa naman tayo,
01:46bakit tignang-pignang sasamantalayin naman nilang,
01:49naman sanang manamantalay yung mga ibang negosyate.
01:52Even Senate President Brotemporay Panfilolaxon believes the President's request for emergency powers should be thoroughly studied first.
02:01While, according to Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, based on a one-year suspension of excise tax,
02:06the government stands to lose an estimated 300 billion pesos.
02:10Ang problema lang with excise tax is malaking mawawala sa kaban ng gobyerno.
02:16At mayroon ding angulo na hindi siya equitable.
02:21Ballpark ko lang natatandaan ko last time na kasi maraming beses na napapag-usapan eh.
02:26It's around 300 billion ang mawawala.
02:30So it's a substantial amount na mawawala.
02:32He suggests that the government should prioritize providing fuel subsidies first, especially for drivers.
02:39The funds could be sourced from the President's 3 billion peso contingency fund
02:43without waiting for oil prices to reach the $80 per barrel mark.
02:48Ang immediate na nakikita pong galangan is pwedeng itapong contingency fund ni Pangulo.
02:55At least around 3 billion para ma-activate na yung Pantawid Pasada.
02:59Ang Pantawid Pasada, ang problema sa atin hindi pa tayo nagtataas ng pasada, ng pamasahe.
03:05So maiipit talaga yung drivers.
03:08So I think immediately what we can do is to support the POV drivers.
03:13Once prices hit $80, the Pantawid Pasada program could also be utilized for subsidies totaling 2 billion pesos.
03:22And while Gatchalian may consider the emergency powers, his stress is they must still be evaluated.
03:28Senator Irwin Tulfo, meanwhile, supports the President, citing the significant help it will provide Filipinos,
03:35especially as rising food prices threaten the cost of food and other commodities.
03:39My colleagues will support this.
03:42Kasi po, makakatulong po it sa mga kababayan natin eh.
03:45Kasi para hindi masyado mabigatan yung ating mga kababayan.
03:49X, Y, X, yelangan natin ng pondo.
03:52Isipin na muna natin later yung pondo.
03:54Ang problema yung now, yung kinakaharap, yung very near future,
03:57within the next few days, few weeks, na tataas,
03:59sisirit yung presyo ng produkto ng olive petroleum.
04:09He adds that it is better to look for alternative oil supplies from Indonesia and Malaysia if shipments from the
04:17Middle East become unavailable.
04:43A hearing will be held this Friday to discuss further government actions to assist Filipinos, particularly those in the Middle
04:51East.
04:52Majority Leader Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri also expressed full support to the President's proposal, stressing the need for immediate action
05:00to prevent the situation from affecting the prices of food and electricity.
05:05Other members of the majority, including Sen. Bam Aquino, JV Ejercito, and Kiko Pangilinan also backed the President. Even Sen.
05:14Bongo from the minority supports the move.
05:16Kung ano pong kailangan na gawin natin sa gobyerno para mapagaan po ang papasanin ng taong bayan. Bawat piso ay
05:28napakalaga sa mga kababayan natin mahirap. Kaya kami sa Senado, handa po akong sumuporta kung ano pong dapat naming gawin
05:37dito sa Senado.
05:40Luisa Erispe from the National TV Network for a new and better Philippines.
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