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MANILA, Philippines — A Senate bill has been filed seeking the launch of “Bayanihan 3,” a copy of the pandemic-era massive emergency package – but this time, aimed at shielding Filipino households from the impact of the raging global oil crisis.
Sen. Loren Legarda has filed Senate Bill 2020, or the “Bayanihan 3: Power to the People Act,” which involves the declaration of a state of national emergency, granting the government time-bound authority to slash fuel and electricity costs through a potential zero-percent VAT rate on petroleum and the suspension of excise taxes.
“The Bayanihan 3 aims to address the hardship being experienced by Filipinos, especially jeepney drivers, farmers, fisherfolk, workers and families who depend on daily earnings,” Legarda said in Filipino.
To fund these interventions, the measure explores “burden-sharing” tactics, including windfall taxes on excess energy profits and solidarity contributions from ultra-high-net-worth individuals.
It also mandates direct monthly fuel subsidies of P5,000 to P10,000 for PUV drivers, farmers and fisherfolk. Legarda stressed that tax breaks must be felt immediately at the pump.
The legislation also addresses food security by authorizing priority cargo lanes and toll exemptions for vehicles hauling essential goods.
Beyond immediate relief, the bill fast-tracks the shift to renewable energy systems for hospitals and schools to reduce the country’s reliance on imported fossil fuels.
Legarda has given the executive branch a strict 30-day deadline to assess and implement the more complex fiscal reforms under the act.
House readies own Bayanihan bill
The House of Representatives has also begun crafting a Bayanihan 3 measure in response to the raging oil crisis, but unlike its pandemic-era predecessors, the new package will go beyond direct cash aid toward long-term structural reforms.
Committee on ways and means chairman Rep. Miro Quimbo said the initiative is being shaped under the direction of Speaker Faustino Dy III as part of a broader effort to address the economic impact of rising fuel costs.
“We have not talked about the entire concept of what will be the outcome, but for me, in reality, this is Bayanihan 3,” he said.
The measure will be crafted through joint hearings led by 13-panel House committees formed by Speaker Dy to address the impact of the Middle East crisis.
Food security
For Rep. Jude Acidre of party-list Tingog, the oil crisis will eventually take its toll on food security.
“It is a food security issue that directly affects our farmers and fishermen – the very people who sustain our nation. When production slows down, the impact is immediate and far-reaching: reduced supply, higher food prices and increased vulnerability for Filipino families,” Acidre said.
“We must be clear: if we do not act decisively, this fuel crisis can become a food crisis. The fuel crisis has made one thing clear: when fuel prices rise, food security is at risk,” he warned.
“As fuel prices continue to rise, so do the costs of farming and fishing. From irrigation and mechanized farming to the daily cost of going out to sea, our producers are bearing the brunt of this crisis. Many are now struggling to continue operations,” he said.
Rep. Perci Cendaña of Akbayan party-list, for his part, called on the Light Rail Management Corp. – operator of LRT 1 – and the Department of Transportation to implement the same 50 percent discount being offered to LRT-2 and MRT-3 passengers.
“The DOTr must negotiate with the LRMC to cut fares by 50 percent, just like in LRT-2 and MRT-3. They should secure this as soon as possible because the prices of petroleum products continue to reach record highs,” Cendaña said. — Evelyn Macairan
