The Manila Times
MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives has begun its multi-panel hearing for a "whole of government" response to the ongoing war in the Middle East that has affected oil prices in the country. The 13-committee superpanel is called as the Legislative Energy Action and Development or LEAD Joint Committee, led by the Committee on Ways and Means. In his opening statement, Speaker Faustino Dy 3rd said that the House was now working in close coordination with the Executive branch to confront the global fuel shock and mitigate its impact on Filipino households. "Hindi tayo magkakanya-kanya, bagkus tayo ay magsasama-sama (We will not work against each other, we will work together), This is exactly the kind of whole-of-government response our people expect—a Congress that has chosen to work with the Executive to find lasting and forward-looking solutions. At higit sa lahat, ito ang nararapat nating gawin para sa ating mga mamamayan (And above all, this is what we should have done for our countrymen)," Dy said. Ways and Means committee chairman and Marikina Rep. Romero Quimbo said that the committee was not just a "response mechanism," but a reform-oriented platform that would help the Philippines adapt and survive when the next energy shock hits. "The crisis today is a wake-up call and an opportune time to adopt policies that will strengthen energy resilience and ensure our food security so we will face future volatility in the global oil market with protection rather than vulnerability," Quimbo said.
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