Deputy House Speaker and Bacolod Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Wednesday, March 25, that he is finalizing the filing of the Bayanihan for Economic Resilience and National Stability Act of 2026 designed to help the country swiftly respond to external shocks.
“Essentially, government must move from reactive response to pre-positioned response—so we act before the damage spreads,” he said.
Benitez said he is finalizing the bill with House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III on Friday so it can be filed immediately.
“Prepared systems lead to faster action. We are working to ensure government can respond quickly while protecting the needs of every Filipino,” Benitez added.
The bill seeks to empower the Executive to respond efficiently to this evolving crisis while ensuring transparency, accountability, and targeted relief, he said.
It aims to provide emergency powers, fiscal flexibility, and strategic interventions to stabilize prices, protect vulnerable sectors, and ensure national resilience, Benitez explained.
Meanwhile, Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District), aired their support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s declaration of a state of national emergency intended to address potential disruptions in the fuel supply and stabilize the country’s energy sector.
“It gives the president more leeway to address the situation and we fully support that,” Lacson said.
The 3rd District congressman said the President was right to declare a state of national energy emergency.
“But an executive order, no matter how well-crafted, has limits. It cannot reprogram billions in public funds. It cannot reduce excise taxes on fuel. It cannot compel oil companies to open their books. For those, you need legislation,” he said.
In 2020, Congress passed two Bayanihan laws in record time, he said.
“They gave the executive branch the tools it needed to respond to a crisis while keeping safeguards in place. The energy emergency we face today calls for the same kind of instrument: time-bound, targeted, and accountable,” the 3rd District congressman said.
“The Philippines imports 98 percent of its crude from the Middle East. We have been told our reserves cover 50 to 60 days. The Strait of Hormuz remains closed,” he said.
“These facts do not wait for a legislative calendar. I am urging the leadership of both chambers to consider reconvening at the earliest opportunity. Our people need to see that every branch of government is working, not just the executive,” he stressed.
On Wednesday, President Marcos also signed into law Republic Act 12316, granting the executive emergency powers to temporarily suspend or reduce excise taxes on petroleum products in response to surging global oil prices caused by the conflict in the Middle East.*
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