State of national emergency pushed

A SENATOR on Monday called on the government to declare a state of national emergency, amid threats of surging consumer prices triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran.

“It is important that government declares a state of national emergency because the state of many Filipino families is already at a crisis level,” Senator Paolo Benigno A. Aquino IV said in a video statement in Filipino.

The declaration is made at times of national emergencies, lawless violence, or natural disasters, enabling immediate government action and resource mobilization.

He added that this would allow authorities to implement a price ceiling on essential goods.

Mr. Aquino also called on government agencies to release the aid meant for transport workers and micro, small, and medium enterprises.

“It is important that no business closes during this crisis,” he added.

The senator added that the government should ensure that measures passed in the Senate would directly benefit the public.

“We will watch over what we did in the Senate, giving the President powers to suspend the excise tax and this aid, we will watch over it to make sure it actually goes to the people,” Mr. Aquino said.

The Senate last week passed a measure that would allow the chief executive to suspend or reduce the excise tax on petroleum products. This was later adopted in the House.

This came as a response to surging oil prices amid the escalating war between the United States, Israel, and Iran, which caused a ripple effect on global oil supply. — Adrian H. Halili