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Neil Jayson Servallos - The Philippine Star
April 12, 2026 | 12:00am
Workers continue construction duties despite the heat along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on April 26, 2023.
STAR / Ernie Penaredondo
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Sherwin Gatchalian is urging the government to immediately mobilize an inter-agency response to protect jobs and extend financial lifelines to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) struggling with the economic fallout of the Middle East conflict.
Warning that the current fuel crisis will have a severe downstream effect on the labor market, Gatchalian called for the rollout of short-term economic shields drafted by the Proactive Response and Oversight for Timely and Effective Crisis Strategy ad hoc committee.
“Higher fuel costs could trigger more layoffs and hiring freezes, especially in sectors that rely heavily on transport, power and delivery,” the senator pointed out.
To mitigate business closures and job losses, Gatchalian proposed providing concessional credit and temporary operating support for MSMEs heavily exposed to fuel price spikes.
To fund this intervention without requiring new legislation, the senator identified roughly P2.27 billion in idle funds under the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) that can be readily tapped.
This includes P1.965 billion in unobligated allotments for MSME programs under the 2026 General Appropriations Act and another P309.9 million in continuing appropriations from the 2025 budget.
Gatchalian urged the Department of Labor and Employment and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority to complement the DTI’s efforts by rolling out emergency programs focused on reskilling and upskilling displaced workers.
