Sen. Imee Marcos criticized her brother's administration for delaying fuel price limits as global oil prices decline amid easing Middle East tensions. She said the Department of Energy appeared to have only recently discovered its legal powers. Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson, meanwhile, backed the DOE's move.
In Manila, Sen. Imee Marcos renewed her criticism of her brother President Marcos's administration for its late imposition of fuel price adjustments. She expressed sadness over the timing, as global oil prices fall due to reduced Middle East tensions. "The DOE looked like it just learned of its powers under the law recently," she said. The administration should have acted when the President declared a state of national energy emergency.
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson welcomed DOE Secretary Sharon Garin's announcement to monitor oil companies' compliance with minimum and maximum prices for diesel and gasoline. Non-compliant firms risk license revocation, penalties, or jail under the Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Act of 1998. "The government must use the powers granted to it under a state of national energy emergency," Lacson said. He noted that guided adjustments are preferable to letting oil firms set prices freely, provided DOE computations are reasonable.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian stated the pricing aligns with President Marcos's Executive Order No. 110 declaring the energy emergency. He advocated unbundling fuel prices to prevent arbitrary hikes harming households and small businesses. "The DOE must clearly explain how oil companies compute price increases," Gatchalian said, emphasizing the country's import dependence.
