MANILA: Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr (pic) said his government is considering passing a supplemental budget to help the public cope with the oil crisis, as he urged the Senate to return to work.
Marcos said the country may need legislations, including one providing for extra funding.
"We were thinking there might be a supplemental budget,” Marcos told reporters Wednesday, citing discussions in a committee formed to craft ways to mitigate the economic impact of the Iran war. He didn’t give details on how much the additional budget will and how it’s going to be funded and spent.
The South-East Asian nation is mulling additional funds to respond to the oil shock as it faces its worst economic crisis since the pandemic. The energy crunch has caused inflation to surge in the country that’s heavily dependent on imported oil.
Sought for comment on the two-day impasse at the Senate, Marcos told senators to "get back to work.”
"All these events that we have been witnessing has thrown the Senate and its leadership...into disarray. It has discredited the leadership and it has stopped the essential business of legislation in government,” Marcos said.
Lawmakers at the 24-member upper chamber have been locked in a bitter feud over the last few weeks due to several issues, including the senate leadership, parliamentary rules and the arrest orders for some colleagues.
Last month, allies of Vice President Sara Duterte, Marcos’ top critic, took over the Senate majority.
"The legislature is now in disarray,” Marcos said. "That’s exactly the opposite of what we’re trying to do achieve. We’re trying to achieve some form of stability so that people can get on with their lives.”
"We cannot do that if the legislature decides to stay at home and have a vacation,” the president said. - Bloomberg
