Senate President Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III said all senators are expected to respond if President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. calls a special session amid the ongoing oil crisis caused by Middle East tensions.
Sotto noted that the declaration of a national energy emergency may address price manipulation by unscrupulous actors taking advantage of the situation.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said the President has not formally requested legislative action yet, and the government currently has around ₱190 billion in funds for subsidies under the 2026 budget.
The Senate has yet to act on Senate Bill No. 1485, or the Biofuel Act of 2006, which proposes suspending the biofuel blend requirement for a year if blended fuel prices rise 5 percent above pure fuels.
Senator Bam Aquino also suggested the possibility of temporarily suspending the value-added tax on fuel to ease costs.
Source: PhilNews24 | March 26, 2026
SOTTO PREPARES TO CONVENE SENATE AMID URGENT MATTERS
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