President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has declared a state of national energy emergency due to the ongoing Middle East war, citing an “imminent danger of a critically low energy supply.” The declaration, effective for one year, comes as the Philippines—which imports 90 percent of its oil from the Middle East—faces increasing pressure to address potential fuel shortages.
The government is already taking steps to mitigate the impact, including providing financial assistance of 5,000 pesos (~$83) to taxi drivers and other public transport workers. Simultaneously, the energy secretary announced plans to increase output from coal-fired power plants to stabilize electricity costs amid disruptions to gas shipments.
However, transport unions have criticized the state of emergency as a “superficial band-aid,” arguing it fails to address the fundamental causes of the fuel crisis. The declaration allows officials to address fuel hoarding and profiteering as the situation develops.