Manila: Speaker Faustino 'Bojie' Dy III has expanded to 13 the number of House committees tasked with leading a unified legislative response to the oil price crisis sparked by the escalating conflict in the Middle East, with joint hearings scheduled to begin on April 8 during the congressional session break. Dy earlier said the hearings aim to ensure coordination with the Executive and produce concrete, actionable measures. 'The objective of these hearings is to work with our partners in the Executive to identify solutions, not point fingers,' the Speaker said. 'We want to hear directly from our economic managers and frontline agencies, so we have the information we need to come up with measures that can help our people cope with the impact of the Middle East conflict.'
According to Philippines News Agency, in a virtual press conference on Tuesday, House Committee on Ways and Means chair and Marikina City Rep. Miro Quimbo said from the initial five committees, it was expanded to 13 committees consisting of Energy, Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries, Foreign Affairs, Ways and Means, Labor, Transportation, Information and Communications Technology, Economic Affairs, Social Services, Trade and Industry, Overseas Workers Affairs, and Appropriations. He said the grouping was formalized after an initial emergency meeting convened by the Speaker with key committee leaders.
Quimbo stated, 'Ang sole purpose is really to have an orchestrated and unified response on the part of the House para harapin at tingnan kung ano ang mga pwede nating magawa (to tackle this and look at what we can do) on an urgent basis so we can address the oil price crisis.' He explained that the multi-committee body is tasked to consolidate data and fast-track legislation, including possible funding support such as a supplemental budget.
The lawmaker emphasized that the task is to gather enough information to pass necessary legislation, whether it is in the form of a supplemental budget. He highlighted that the House is pursuing a two-pronged strategy anchored on immediate assistance and long-term resilience. 'So, particularly on assistance to the affected sectors. And then secondly, it's really creating a better resiliency,' Quimbo said.
Quimbo stressed that legislators recognize the crisis as externally driven but requiring decisive domestic action. 'This crisis is not at all self-inflicted. It is completely coming from forces beyond our control. But it doesn't mean that we cannot prepare for it,' he said. He mentioned that Dy has directed the House to focus on solutions rather than blame as it works on a comprehensive legislative package.
Quimbo added, 'So, sabi ni Speaker (the Speaker said), instead of criticizing and fault-finding, finger-pointing, he wants Congress to be able to work out and hammer an entirely comprehensive package to address the immediate needs ng affected sectors.' He elaborated on ensuring government and economic resilience to prevent future vulnerabilities.
He noted that preparatory work is already underway even during the break, with technical meetings ongoing ahead of the formal hearings. 'We're going to work throughout the break. Even as we speak now, we have a Zoom meeting with technical people. The first formal meeting of the large committee is on April 8th,' Quimbo said.
