House Ways and Means chairperson Albay Rep. Joey Salceda has renewed his call to pass the “Bayan Bangon Muli” stimulus package which will also give President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. special powers amid the skyrocketing prices of food and basic commodities.
Salceda, in a media interview, said the provision for special powers is integrated in his stimulus package proposal.
“The BBM package concentrates on the special powers for the President that are essentially economic in character to prevent market abuse and in order to solve market rigidities,” he said.
“It’s a fine use of powers that are available within the constitution but they become special in a sense that it is being used to target inflation,” Salceda added.
The proposed stimulus package, which would be in effect for 18 months when enacted, includes the following special powers:
– Anti-hoarding powers where no person will be allowed to accumulate materials designated by Marcos as scarce materials “in excess of the reasonable demands of business, personal, or home consumption, or for the purpose of resale at prices in excess of prevailing market prices, goods or services;
– Power to provide loans and guarantees for suppliers of essential goods;
– Anti-price-gouging powers which is not a price cap, but one that allows Marcos to stop the sale of goods at an “unconscionably excessive” prices;
– Motu proprio powers to investigate perceived market abuse in the energy and essential goods sectors;
– Transport emergency powers to let Marcos allow the use of “private roads, expedite public projects, conduct alternative working arrangements, and temporarily control facilities around ports and airports to address supply bottlenecks;” and
– Power to mobilize uniformed personnel to expedite programs and projects which would allow Marcos to tap the uniformed services to hasten the construction of infrastructure projects or ease transportation bottlenecks.
“During the effectivity of the proposal, President Marcos may also require a minimum petroleum inventory and have petroleum companies explain significant price changes,” Salceda said.