A proposed measure seeking to shield Filipino families, workers, and businesses from the devastating effects of global fuel shocks gained momentum in the House of Representatives after a Marikina solon formally sponsored the KALINGA bill on the plenary floor during Tuesday’s plenary session.
In his sponsorship speech, House Ways and Means Chair Rep. Miro Quimbo described the proposed Komprehensibong Alalay sa Livelihood, Inflation, Negosyo at Goods Assistance (KALINGA) Act as a comprehensive national response framework designed to provide both immediate relief and long-term resilience against oil price spikes and energy-related crises.
The measure was originally filed by House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III and Majority Leader Ferdinando Alexander “Sandro” Marcos III.
Quimbo said the House moved quickly after the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East triggered soaring global oil prices earlier this year, immediately convening briefings and marathon hearings to study the impact on Filipino households and industries.
“From March to May, upon the command of Speaker Dy, the House worked swiftly and exhaustively to understand the full extent of the crisis,” the solon said.
The Marikina lawmaker said the KALINGA bill “stands as a product of the unity among these thirteen committees and among different sectors in response to a crisis that exposed our country’s vulnerabilities.”
He added that the measure is “a product of a responsive and hardworking Congress under the leadership of Speaker Bojie Dy.”
He pointed to worsening inflation figures as proof that the energy crisis had already deeply affected ordinary Filipinos.
“With the headline inflation of 7.2 percent in April 2026 – the highest since March 2023 — and with Rice and Transport inflation surging by a dramatic 13.7 percent and 65.8 percent, respectively – we saw in numbers the impact of the energy crisis today,” the solon said.
“At sa mga kwento ng ating mga kababayan sa sektor ng transportasyon, dinig natin gaano kalala ang problema – halos wala na silang maiuwi na sahod para sa kanilang mga pamilya,” he added.
The proposed KALINGA Act would establish a KALINGA National Response Council composed of key Cabinet officials and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor, while setting clear economic triggers that would allow the President to declare a national emergency related to fuel and energy supply disruptions.
Among the triggers identified in the bill are Dubai crude oil prices exceeding US$80 per barrel for 30 days, domestic fuel prices increasing by at least 30 percent within 30 days, or national fuel inventory dropping below a 30-day supply.
The bill also authorizes direct and targeted assistance for affected sectors, including support for food, fuel, electricity, transportation, labor, MSMEs, and overseas Filipino workers. It likewise seeks to keep logistics and transport systems operational during times of crisis and mandates the creation of an interoperable government data system to improve aid delivery.