President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has declared a national energy emergency in the Philippines, citing threats to the country’s oil supply and overall energy security stemming from the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran.
On Tuesday, Marcos signed an executive order invoking emergency powers under the Department of Energy Act.
The order enables him to implement a fuel and energy allocation plan along with additional energy conservation measures.
The directive also instructs the Department of Energy to act to stabilize the domestic energy supply. This includes measures against hoarding, profiteering, and market manipulation of fuel and other energy resources.
The declaration establishes a whole-of-government response framework designed to ensure both the stability of domestic energy resources and the uninterrupted provision of essential services. It also allows the government greater flexibility in purchasing fuel, including making advance payments exceeding 15% of contract amounts.
The Philippines relies heavily on imported oil, with 98% coming from the Middle East, according to the Philippine Information Agency. The ongoing war between Iran and its adversaries, the United States and Israel, has contributed to rising fuel prices in the country.
Prior to the declaration, Department of Energy Secretary Sharon Garin reported during a press briefing that current fuel reserves would last as follows: gasoline for just over 53 days, diesel for nearly 46 days, jet fuel for 38 days, and liquefied petroleum gas for 23 1/2 days.
Since the outbreak of the conflict on February 28, Marcos has taken several steps to curb energy consumption and lessen the impact of surging fuel prices on the public. These measures include coordinating fuel price adjustments with oil companies and mandating government employees to work remotely one day per week.
In a statement from the Presidential Communications Office, the government noted that the conflict “is creating uncertainty in global energy markets, severe disruptions in supply chains and significant volatility and upward pressure on international oil prices, thereby posing a threat to the country’s energy security.”
The statement further emphasized, “As a net importer of petroleum products, the Philippines remains highly dependent on external sources of fuel supply and is therefore vulnerable to disruptions in global oil production and transportation.”
However, the Kilusang Mayo Uno labor coalition criticized the Marcos administration for what it described as its “failure to address the severe crisis being suffered by the people.”
Coalition Chair Jerome Adonis accused Marcos of previously downplaying the country’s energy challenges and denounced the emergency declaration for failing to provide tangible support for workers, such as wage increases or assurances of lower oil prices.
“Any band-aid solution from the Marcos government will simply be swallowed up by rising petroleum prices!” Adonis said in a statement.
