Partido
Manggagawa finds the decision of President Marcos to place the country under a
state of energy emergency an attempt to show the people that the government is
in control. The truth is, it is not.
In the midst of
the current price shocks, it is becoming clearer that the Philippine government
is incapable of protecting the Filipino people because of the limitations
imposed by the free market framework of the Oil Deregulation Law (RA 8479).
It is not
because the Philippine State lacked powers to deal with any emergency. Its
problem now is how to extricate itself from the dilemma of trying to
demonstrate control against the fact that it is deregulation and privatization
policies that truly commands the economy.
Despite
Palace’s assurances that they are “closely monitoring” price movements, the
stark reality is that it has very limited capacity to directly influence fuel
prices or stabilize supply. Under full deregulation, oil importation, pricing,
and distribution are almost entirely in the hands of private companies.
Even the Price
Act (RA 7581) which provides for the imposition of price ceilings in times of
emergencies, cannot provide meaningful relief because oil and related products
are not part of prime commodities covered under the law.
Another example
is the Electric Power Reform Act (EPIRA). Its Sec. 71 provided the President
emergency powers during a crisis. Yet it is hardly exercised against the power
oligarchs who exercise total control of the privatized power industry. We also
have very strong climate commitments, yet our planned transition is very
dependent on private investments and the leadership of the private
sector.
The State is
well aware of the need for emergency intervention to prevent profiteering by
private companies and protect consumers, however, market liberalization remains
an overarching economic policy, thus, discourages or even disables such
intervention. This situation exposes workers and farmers to the full impact of
global price shocks.
The government
must, thus, address the contradiction between emergency response and its free
market policy.
The government
must therefore consider reforming or replacing the Oil Deregulation Law an
immediate agenda. Energy is a strategic necessity that should not be left to
the full discretion of market forces because it would undermine both economic
stability and social justice. It is time to reclaim the State’s role in
ensuring affordable and accessible energy for all.
In addition, it
should address the chronic vulnerabilities of many sectors like in the case of
ordinary workers whose life of poverty and insecurity are compounded by low
wages, suppressed rights, and inadequate social protection.
This crisis
situation likewise calls for the passage of the bill for wage hike and
establishing the National Minimum Wage Law.
PRESS STATEMENT
25 March 2026
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