Marcos to certify emergency powers bill as urgent

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he would certify as urgent a proposed measure granting the government emergency powers to respond swiftly to possible spikes in global oil prices.

Speaking at a press briefing in New York City during his three-day working visit, the President said the certification would be issued once lawmakers finalize their committee reports on the bill.

“I will declare it as urgent because there’s no point declaring it as urgent before the committee report has been completed,” President Marcos said.

The Chief Executive explained that both the Senate of the Philippines and the House of Representatives of the Philippines must first complete their respective committee reports before the measure can receive urgent certification from Malacañang.

“The minute that you have completed your committee reports…that’s when the declaration of the bill as urgent really goes into effect,” President Marcos added.

Under the Constitution, a bill certified as urgent allows Congress to skip the usual requirement of three readings on separate days, enabling lawmakers to fast-track the passage of legislation considered critical.

The President said the administration’s request for emergency powers is intended to ensure that the government can act quickly if oil prices surge in the global market.

“It’s very, very simple. What we asked of the legislature is really very simple,” the President said.

He explained that the proposed measure would authorize the government to exercise emergency powers if global oil prices exceed a certain level.

“When the price of oil… has breached $80 per barrel on average for a month, then the emergency powers can be exercised,” President Marcos said.

However, he clarified that reaching the threshold would not automatically trigger the use of the powers, as the government would still assess the situation before taking action.

The proposal comes as the administration keeps a close watch on international oil markets amid geopolitical tensions and supply uncertainties that could drive fuel prices higher and eventually affect transportation costs as well as the prices of basic commodities.