Executive Secretary Ralph Recto convened the UPLIFT Committee on Thursday, September 17, instructing key agencies to ramp up readiness measures as Middle East conflicts spark fresh concerns over rising global fuel prices.
Carrying out directives from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Recto emphasized the need to secure local energy supplies and maintain active relief channels to protect vulnerable sectors from potential economic shocks.
“Two straits are now blocked, and fuel prices are climbing again. Although they remain below April’s peak, we should not be complacent. We should not wait for prices to reach their worst before the government responds,” he said.
“Malinaw ang utos ng Pangulo: kumilos agad, unahan ang paglala ng sitwasyon, at protektahan ang bawat Pilipino,” he added.
During the meeting, energy officials assured the committee that national fuel reserves remain adequate as of September 14, with stocks standing at 57.2 days for gasoline, 60.8 days for diesel, and 39.3 days for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
To ease cost-of-living pressures, social welfare authorities reported that funds are sufficient to sustain cash assistance for 7.5 million target beneficiaries through the end of the year, with ₱11.8 billion already disbursed to 5.79 million people, including transport workers, farmers, and fisherfolk.
Transport assistance programs remain active, including elevated fuel discounts of ₱12 per liter across 3,633 gas stations, toll exemptions for provincial buses, PITX terminal fee waivers, and 50% fare discounts on the MRT-3 and LRT-2.
For the agriculture sector, 2.59 million individuals have received ₱6.03 billion under the Presidential Assistance for Farmers and Fisherfolk Program (PAFFP), alongside targeted fuel subsidies for thousands of workers. Meanwhile, labor and health departments confirmed their readiness to expand emergency employment and indigent medical assistance programs if needed.
For overseas Filipinos impacted by Middle East hostilities, migrant worker officials noted that repatriation funds remain available, with 14,026 individuals already brought home safely and provided reintegration support as of September 11.
Recto affirmed that the panel will continuously monitor global market shifts, supply chains, and domestic inflation, coordinating across agencies to swiftly expand interventions should conditions deteriorate.