MANILA, Philippines — House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III on Monday, May 4, emphasized the critical role of the Legislative Energy Action and Development (LEAD) Joint Committee in consolidating the lower chamber’s response to the economic pressures triggered by ongoing global tensions. In tandem with this, the Speaker heavily pushed for the immediate passage of the proposed KALINGA Act of 2026 to provide a safety net for affected citizens.
The LEAD Joint Committee was formed to strategically address the ripple effects of surging global oil prices. The inter-agency panel brings together key sectors—including energy, agriculture, food, transport, labor, and trade—to craft integrated and comprehensive policy solutions rather than fragmented responses.
Dy highlighted the necessity of a unified legislative approach.
“Hindi ito magkakahiwalay na hakbang—ito ang pagsulong ng isang matibay na plano, isang malinaw na direksyon upang maisakatuparan natin ang layunin para sa isang ekonomiyang gumagana at nagbibigay-ginhawa sa araw-araw na buhay ng Pilipino (This is not a series of separate steps—this is the advancement of a solid plan, a clear direction to realize our goal for a functioning economy that brings comfort to the daily lives of Filipinos),” Dy said.
The Speaker pointed out that escalating fuel costs have a direct and severe impact on essential daily commodities, with ordinary citizens bearing the heaviest burden.
“Alam naman natin na kapag tumaas ang langis, tumataas ang pamasahe. Tumataas ang gastos ng manggagawa, tumataas ang presyo ng pagkain at ang unang tinatamaan ay ang pamilyang Pilipino (We know that when oil prices rise, fares rise. Workers’ expenses rise, food prices rise, and the first to be hit are Filipino families),” he added.
As a direct countermeasure, the House leadership is prioritizing the KALINGA Act of 2026. The proposed measure is designed to cushion the immediate impacts of inflation while building long-term economic resilience for the country.
“Kaya’t kasama ni Majority Leader Sandro Marcos, isinusulong natin ang KALINGA Act of 2026 bilang bahagi ng mas malawak na hangarin na palakasin ang kakayahan ng bawat Pilipino, patatagin ang ating ekonomiya, at gawing mas maaasahan ang support system ng gobyerno (That is why, together with Majority Leader Sandro Marcos, we are pushing the KALINGA Act of 2026 as part of a broader aspiration to strengthen the capability of every Filipino, stabilize our economy, and make the government’s support system more reliable),” the Speaker stated.
“Kasabay nito, patuloy nating pinatitibay ang ating mga hakbang tungo sa energy security—sapagkat ang isang bansa ay kailangan may klarong plano at matibay na pundasyon (At the same time, we continue to strengthen our steps towards energy security—because a country needs a clear plan and a solid foundation),” he concluded.|
