00:00The move to grant the President the emergency powers he seeks, given the dire repercussions of a delayed congressional response,
00:07could leave millions in serious harm or need.
00:10Hence, Congress should not tarry, but instead act post-haste to positively respond.
00:15Our Luisa Arispe sums it all up in this report.
00:20The Senate is studying the plan of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to seek emergency powers for the suspension of
00:27excise tax on oil products.
00:29According to Senate President Vicente Soto III, discussing the proposal is their top priority.
00:35In fact, Soto is already in coordination with Executive Secretary Ralph Recto regarding the passage of the law concerning this
00:43matter.
00:43We'll be reviewing it, as I said earlier, over the weekend, yung office ko at sa office ni Executive Secretary
00:50nagpapalitan kami ng kakay ng informasyon and their proposals.
00:56So we will be studying it, I will forward it to the Committee on Ways and Means, Committee on Finance,
01:03we'll discuss it, and hopefully we'll be able to come up with something that we'll be able to address the
01:09would-be problems that we will be encountering.
01:13According to Soto, once they receive the proposal, like any other bill, it will undergo a third reading in the
01:19plenary.
01:19And we'll wait for three days before it will be passed, unless the President declares it as urgent.
01:26Nevertheless, the Senate will strive to pass the measure before Congress adjourns this March.
01:31It will have to go through the three readings, unless it is declared an emergency.
01:41Therefore, we'll do away with the three-day rule. But again, depende, depende sa mga pag-uusapan namin yan.
01:47But given they're just two weeks before the break, sir, SP, kaya pa ba yun?
01:51Kaya naman yan. Talagang emergency.
01:55Pero may request.
01:57Senate President Pro Temporay Pan Filo Lacson is also in favor of granting emergency powers to the President.
02:04He says those who oppose this clearly do not want to ease the burden of Filipinos caused by the fuel
02:10prices.
02:11Even Senator Risa Honteferro sees the President's intent as reasonable.
02:15But for her, it is not enough.
02:18She says Congress should also pass an emergency supplemental budget.
02:22Pinag-aaralan pa namin yung request na yan for emergency powers, pero reasonable siya kahit sa ilang ibang mga sitwasyon.
02:29Halimbawa, yung una nang ipinanawaga na tungkol sa tariff-setting powers na ilipat or ibalik across branches of government.
02:41Pero kahit pa, actionan yan ang favorable ng Senado.
02:45Yung emergency powers para sa kasalukuyang sitwasyon, hindi pa po yun sapat.
02:50She claims P52.8 billion is the necessary funding for an emergency supplemental budget.
02:57P12 billion of this will go to the transport sector, P2.8 billion for agricultural subsidy, and P38 billion for
03:04the repatriation of OFWs.
03:06This is reportedly enough to cover the potential oil crisis for one year.
03:10At kung magtutuloy-tuloy ang disruption sa global oil supply dahil sa gera, kailangan nang saluhin ang gobyerno ang napipintong
03:20economic shock mula sa tumitinding oil crisis.
03:24Ang panawagan natin ngayon ay simple, at hindi tingi-tingi.
03:30Kailangan ng pag-usapan, ihanda, at ipasa ang isang emergency supplemental budget package na sa estima ng aking opisina ay
03:41aabot ng P52.8 billion.
03:44The senator believes there are sufficient sources to fund the supplemental budget.
03:50May pwede bang pagkuna ng pondo para sa supplemental budget?
03:54Oo.
03:55Nandiyan ang tinatayang P70 billion mula sa discontinued flood control projects noong 2025.
04:05Mayroon ding P2.5 billion na pondo for farm machinery.
04:10Pwede tayong kumuha sa P17.5 billion na pondo para sa pag-host at pag-chair ng Pilipinas sa ASEAN
04:202026 Summit.
04:21She added, they will also push for its passage before the end of March.
04:26Meanwhile, senators are also calling for an investigation into those reportedly taking advantage of rising oil prices.
04:33SP Soto questions why some are immediately raising prices when there are still reserves.
04:39The authorities should look into these players who are abusing or using it already.
04:48Sabi ng Presidente, if I recall it right, there was, I think, or there is, you know, there is at
04:56least two to three months na reserve.
04:59So, bakit sa samantalahin ang iba?
05:01SP Protempre Laxon, on the other hand, urged the public to report gas stations operators taking advantage.
05:09He says, these players can be charged with hoarding and profiteering, as well as unfair or deceptive sales practices.
05:17Senator Sherwin Gatchalian condemns the alleged overpricing, such as recent reports of diesel reaching P105 per liter and gasoline at
05:26P90 per liter.
05:27Clearly, this only burdens driver workers and ordinary Filipinos.
05:32He called on the Department of Energy to investigate so the appropriate charges can be filed.
05:37Luisa Erispe from the National TV Network for a new and better Philippines.
Comments