The House of Representatives is holding a series of joint committee hearings next week to consolidate government action and craft a comprehensive legislative response to the escalating Middle East crisis, with a focus on immediate relief, economic stability, and long-term resilience.
Deputy House Speaker and Bacolod Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Monday, March 30, that he, the House committee chairmen, and House Speaker Faustino Dy III met on Friday to discuss the holding of these hearings during the session break after Holy Week.
Benitez explained that they will determine if the appropriated budget is enough to respond to the oil crisis and will also discuss a resilience package to ensure that automatic mechanisms are in place to provide help immediately during a crisis.
In a press statement, Speaker Dy said the hearings will bring together key executive agencies and House leaders to align on the aid and legislative package needed to address the crisis in the short, medium, and long term.
Led by a cluster of committees covering critical sectors such as energy, food security, labor, transportation, and economic management, the hearings aim to work with partners in the Executive to identify solutions rather than pointing fingers, Dy said.
Meanwhile, Councilor Caesar Distrito said that the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) has expressed its strong support for the proposed “Bayanihan for Economic Resilience and National Stability Act of 2026.”
This legislative measure, to be filed by Benitez, is a response to the ongoing global oil crisis and the declaration of a National State of Energy Emergency.
The SP resolution authored by Distrito underscored the urgent need for decisive and coordinated government action to address rising fuel costs and their cascading effects on transportation, food prices, and the overall cost of living.
Distrito said that the current oil crisis is a local burden felt daily by Bacolodnons and that this measure provides the national government with the necessary tools to respond swiftly, stabilize the economy, and protect vulnerable sectors.
The proposed Bayanihan measure seeks to empower the Executive branch with emergency authority, fiscal flexibility, and strategic mechanisms to cushion the impact of the crisis, sustain economic activity, and ensure the continuous delivery of essential services, Distrito said.
The SP resolution emphasized that Bacolod, as a growing urban center, is particularly vulnerable to fuel price volatility affecting public transportation, supply chains, small businesses, and household expenses.
The City Council urged both chambers of Congress to prioritize the immediate passage of the measure, citing the need for timely interventions to prevent further economic strain.
Distrito added that the lessons of the Covid-19 pandemic have shown that speed, coordination, and flexibility in governance are critical in times of crisis, and the government must act with urgency to safeguard the economy and the people.*
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