Urging a shift toward a more resilient energy system, a lawmaker said temporary measures such as suspending fuel excise taxes can help cushion the impact of rising oil prices but cannot replace deeper structural reforms.
“We cannot keep firefighting the same crisis every time global markets move,” Assistant Majority Floor Leader and FPJ Panday Bayanihan Rep. Brian Poe said on Thursday.
“The long-term solution is clear. We must diversify our energy mix, accelerate renewable deployment, and modernize our grid,”
Poe made the statement as he expressed support for House Speaker Faustino Dy III’s push for fuel excise tax relief, warning that the Philippines is at a “critical energy crossroads” amid global tensions, volatile oil prices, and structural weaknesses in the power sector.
He said the passage of the fuel excise tax relief bill, which President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed into law on Wednesday as Republic Act 12316, was necessary to cushion Filipinos from the cascading effects of global oil shocks.
“This is not business as usual. This is a crisis response,” Poe said.
“Speaker Dy’s decisive leadership sends a clear signal that Congress is prepared to act quickly when the Filipino people are under pressure from forces beyond our control.”
Poe noted that fuel price volatility is already translating into higher transport fares, rising food prices, and increased costs for farmers, fisherfolk, and small enterprises.
“The reality is stark. When global oil prices spike, our entire economy feels the shock,” he said.
“Families pay more for electricity. Workers spend more on transport. Businesses struggle with higher operating costs. Growth slows and opportunities shrink,” Poe stressed.
Drawing from a recent lecture at the London School of Economics, Poe said the Philippines has vast untapped renewable energy resources, including more than 655,000 megawatts of hydropower potential and nearly 94,000 megawatts of onshore wind capacity.
He said harnessing these resources could reduce dependence on imported fuel while strengthening national resilience and delivering economic gains, including an estimated 300,000 green jobs and up to ₱5.8 trillion in investments.
“This is about survival and growth at the same time,” Poe said. “Energy reform is economic reform. Stable and affordable power is the foundation of industrial expansion, job creation, and long-term competitiveness.”
Poe also warned that an outdated, baseload-centric energy strategy reliant on large, inflexible fossil fuel plants increases the risk of outages and recurring grid alerts.
