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Senator Loren Legarda, on Tuesday, March 24, expressed frustration with the Department of Energy (DOE) over its reasoning in being unable to secure congressional approval for the use of supplemental funds by the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC). (Video courtesy of Senate of the Philippines)

READ: https://mb.com.ph/2026/03/25/legarda-blasts-doe-over-delayed-pnoc-fund-request

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Transcript
00:02The congressional approval is needed based on the answer to the question of Senator Ontivero.
00:08So has it been communicated to both houses?
00:13I think a letter was submitted to the committee chairs, but we were willing to go on special session.
00:25May we know, number one, no GAA funds needed, it's with PNOC, and all it needed was congressional approval.
00:35And bicameral, ang dali naman, isa lang na araw yan.
00:40May I know, kailan po binigay ng DOE sa Senado, kailan natanggap yung sulat,
00:49kailan binigay sa atensyon ng leadership at ng chair ng komite,
00:54may we know? I mean, this is what I mean, we act with urgency.
00:58It's not a matter of walang pondo. May pondo, it came from DOE's information, congressional approval.
01:07So it doesn't take too much if it's an urgent matter.
01:11We were able to pass the excise tax, and to be fair to the chair, kaagad nagtrabaho at napasa po
01:16namin.
01:17So kailan po ito?
01:21Yeah, PNOC is here, Mr. Chair.
01:24Initially, itong first two cargos actually, merong releasable fund pa si PNOC-EC?
01:33That's why we bought the first cargo.
01:34And then there's a second cargo coming in.
01:37Yes, ito po tinatanong yung ilang cargo.
01:40Simple question.
01:41If the DOE says that all it needs is congressional approval,
01:47and the PNOC has the funds,
01:49and you said that the letters were sent,
01:52because it is important that the people know
01:55that letters are not sitting in the Senate without action.
02:00We would know if there is a letter that is deemed urgent.
02:06Kasi wala ang inyong DOE secretary eh.
02:09Wala dito eh.
02:10And nandito siya last week.
02:12Sinabi ba niya sa chairman ng energy?
02:15Sinabi ba niya sa leadership sa Senado?
02:18Wala.
02:19Ang kanyang linalabi yung biofuel.
02:23Sinabi ba yan?
02:24Because this is so urgent.
02:26It did not come from us.
02:27It came from the DOE.
02:28May I just know the date?
02:31Sir, I know you're a technical person,
02:33and you seem very knowledgeable.
02:36I just need to know, it's an admin matter.
02:39Can we kindly put on record,
02:41after this presentation, Mr. Chair, just bear with me,
02:43so that hindi ang itsura nakapending sa Senado,
02:47tapos sasabihin niyo,
02:48kasi po nag-break, excuse me,
02:51hindi po nag-break ang Senado
02:53na hindi ina-actionan ang hinihiling ng executive.
02:57Dalawa ang inyong hininge.
02:59Excise tax, napasa namin.
03:01At sabihin niyo, on the record,
03:02kailan niyo ma-implement yan,
03:04at ang gulo ninyo.
03:06Sinabi niyo, excise tax,
03:09kailangan urgent.
03:10Nung napasa namin,
03:11sinabi, we will see.
03:13Yan, galing sa inyo yan, ha?
03:14Kung gagamitin.
03:16Tapos, the next day,
03:17o sige na nga.
03:18Ano ba?
03:19Ano ba?
03:20Kailangan ba?
03:21Hindi.
03:22It was deemed urgent,
03:23napasa.
03:24Tapos, pagkapasa namin,
03:25we will see.
03:26I'm quoting the executive,
03:28nang galing sa inyo yan.
03:29Tapos ngayon,
03:30gagawin na.
03:31And cite the impact,
03:33mararamdaman pa.
03:34Yun ang sabi ng chair no,
03:35ni Sena Tropia.
03:36Ano ang ramdam
03:38sa pagbaba
03:39o pagkaltas
03:40ng excise tax?
03:41Yung biofuel,
03:42maraming concerns
03:44sa mga coconut
03:45and sugar farmers.
03:47Pero itong sinabi niyong
03:48low-hanging fruit,
03:50congressional approval.
03:51Tapos, nagsabi po kayo,
03:52Sir, with all due respect,
03:54kasi po nag-break,
03:55hindi po magandang pakinggan yan.
03:57Hindi po mag-break
03:59ang Senado
03:59kung sinabi niyong
04:01kailangan ng congressional approval
04:03ang paggamit ng PNOC
04:05ng kanilang pondo.
04:07Pakilagay po sa record
04:08after your presentation
04:10and we give a chance
04:11to the others,
04:12Mr. Chair.
04:13Because it's important
04:14na hindi tinuturo sa atin
04:16na nag-break tayo
04:17kaya ang PNOC
04:18hindi makagamit
04:19ng kanyang pera.
04:20That's unfair.
04:21Eh, ang sekretary nga ninyo
04:22wala dito eh.
04:24Kung anong pamumulitik
04:25ang ginagawa na naman
04:26ng sekretary nyo.
04:28Break tayo session
04:29pero tuloy-tuloy pa ho
04:31yung aming hearing.
04:32Of course.
04:33At kung kailangan po
04:34mag-convene,
04:35ready naman po
04:36magkaroon ng special session
04:37at any time.
04:39when did you give the letter?
04:41Kasi,
04:41alam nyo,
04:42hindi pwedeng tinuturo-turo nyo kami.
04:45Hindi nyo pwedeng sinasabi.
04:47Makinig kayo.
04:48Huwag kayo nagpapalusot dito ha.
04:50Sinasabi nyo,
04:51ah, yung letter
04:52nasa inyo eh.
04:53Tapos nag-break kayo.
04:55Double jeopardy.
04:56Hindi pwede yun.
04:57Sorry.
04:58Hindi po kami papayag nun.
05:00Kung alam po namin
05:01hindi kami mag-break,
05:02tama po ang chair.
05:03Kino mo nga,
05:04mag-break.
05:04Gusto nyo,
05:05Holy Week,
05:05magtrabaho tayo dito eh.
05:06Darating natin ng secretary.
05:09Burn the midnight candle.
05:11Walang labasan sa kwarto.
05:12Hanggang hindi nakita
05:14ang pagtulong sa atang tao.
05:16Pero huwag nyo sasabihin
05:17na nag-break kami.
05:18Kaya hindi napasa
05:19yung hiniling ng DOE
05:21na congressional approval.
05:25Hindi po sir.
05:26Hindi nyo kasalanan yun.
05:27Kasi wala ang inyong
05:28sekretarya.
05:32I can't think of anything
05:34more important
05:36than this hearing
05:38convened by the chair.
05:41And if the other cabinet members
05:43are here,
05:44why could the most
05:45important department
05:48not be present?
05:50Okay.
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