Filipinos who endured the COVID-19 pandemic are now facing a new global crisis, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson said on Wednesday, dubbing it “Trump-26” or the fallout from the Middle East conflict.
According to the veteran lawmaker, the worsening situation in the Middle East has intensified hardships for Filipinos through disruptions in global oil supply and rising fuel prices.
“Only a few years ago, we outlived the coronavirus, also known as Covid-19. Pray that the world will survive Trump-26,” Lacson said via social media, referring to US President Donald Trump.
Lacson was reacting to Trump’s recent post on Truth Social saying that countries unable to obtain jet fuel because of the situation in the Strait of Hormuz could instead buy fuel from the United States or secure their own oil supply.
Such statements and actions, he said, contribute to the worsening ordeal of Filipinos already struggling with the economic impact of the international conflict.
Petroleum prices continued to rise this week, with diesel estimated to reach P144 per liter, kerosene up to P168.79 per liter, and gasoline up to P111 per liter.
Lacson earlier criticized Trump, saying the former US leader’s failed posturing had placed both the Philippines and the rest of the world in crisis.
Because of this, the senator said Trump must be held accountable for his actions not only by the international community but also by his own country.
