MALACAÑAN, Manila — Despite public outcry over the inefficiency of the government's response to the ongoing fuel crisis, Palace officials pushed back against calls for the declaration of a national emergency and a government takeover of the oil industry, saying that the authorities remain “in control of the situation.”
Amidst the double-digit fuel price hikes, the Marcos Jr. administration claimed it has responded immediately to the crisis but labor groups disclosed that the response only came after escalated pressure on officials to intervene aggressively in stabilizing fuel prices.

The groups warned that global shocks have already translated into heavier burdens for Filipino households with the Philippine peso almost hitting to ₱60 to the US dollar as PH fuel prices recorded the ‘most expensive’ yet so far.

However, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) undersecretary Clarissa 'Claire' Castro-Seechung asserted that the administration still retains the ability to engage industry players and pursue policy measures without resorting to emergency powers.

“Sa ngayon po ay wala pa po tayo sa ganoong sitwasyon,” Castro-Seechung noted.
But the administration’s stance differs from that of Deputy House Speaker Raymond Democrito Mendoza who insisted that a national emergency has now arisen and it merits direct government control of oil companies.

Mendoza, representative of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, is urging President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. (PBBM) to declare a state of national emergency and act in accordance with Republic Act No. 8479, or the Oil Deregulation Law.

He cited that a provision in the said law allows the government, through the Department of Energy (DoE), to “temporarily take over or direct the operation” of oil industry players during a national emergency in the interest of the public.

“Global conflicts affecting oil supply have already triggered domestic consequences severe enough to warrant extraordinary intervention (and) when a conflict thousands of kilometers away suddenly dictates how much a Filipino family eats, rides and pays . . . that is no longer just a global crisis,” the sectoral lawmar stressed.

In addition, Mendoza underscored that invoking emergency powers would compel oil firms to disclose supply inventories and acquisition costs, ensuring transparency and potentially curbing excessive pricing.
“Under the current framework, oil companies determine pump prices based on global crude prices, foreign exchange movements, and logistics costs. This limits state intervention largely to subsidies, tax adjustments and regulatory oversight,” he concluded.