Metro Manila, Philippines — Additional safeguards against the “repurposing of funds” and “political bias” were pushed as amendments to a bill aimed at providing immediate relief and long-term resilience against fuel-driven inflation and energy supply disruptions.
Members of the House ad hoc committee on legislative energy action and development raised concerns about some provisions in House Bill 8834 or the Kalinga (Komprehensibong Alalay sa Livelihood, Inflation, Negosyo, and Goods Assistance) Bill authored by Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III and Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander Marcos of Ilocos Norte.
Bagong Henerasyon Rep. Roberto Nazal proposed the most amendments after a comparative study to his own House Bill 8821 on the same subject.
“We note that several of the most crucial, self-executing safety nets intended to shield ordinary Filipinos have been significantly diluted or omitted entirely,” Nazal said.
Since the Kalinga bill aims to serve as an emergency economic relief framework during fuel price shocks and supply disruptions, Nazal pushed to expand the proposed moratorium on loan payments and foreclosures to cover all sectors instead of limiting it to transportation loans.
He also proposed integrating rent and utility relief, including a temporary ban on rent increases and penalties for unpaid utility charges.
Nazal said, “We harbor serious reservations regarding the funding mechanisms outlined in the draft, specifically the reliance on internally generated savings at the potential expense of essential public services.”
He said the bill grants the president authority to demand fuel management measures without a prioritization framework.
Naza said leaving decisions “entirely to executive discretion during the chaos of an emergency crisis invites political bias and discretionary allocation.”
Meanwhile, Minority Leader Sergio Dagoc proposed a penal clause holding public officials liable under the Civil Service Act if they “fail, refuse, or neglect to implement or comply with any provision of this Act without justifiable cause.”
His amendment also seeks administrative fines for companies and distributors that violate the law.
