IN a bid to provide immediate relief amidst escalating oil prices, Batangas 1st District Representative Leandro Legarda Leviste has filed House Resolution No. 911.
The resolution urges the Office of the President and other relevant agencies to identify and generate savings from the substantial ₱22.9 billion budget allocated for the Philippines’ hosting of the ASEAN Summit in 2026. Leviste proposes that these potential savings be redirected towards social aid and relief measures to help Filipinos cope with the rising cost of fuel, a crisis exacerbated by ongoing Middle East tensions.
While acknowledging the significant diplomatic, tourism, trade, and regional influence benefits of hosting the ASEAN Summit, Representative Leviste is not advocating for the cancellation of the event. Instead, his proposal emphasizes the necessity of a more cost-efficient approach to hosting.
He suggests targeting a reduction in the total public expenditure for ASEAN 2026 to a maximum of ₱10 billion. Leviste cited historical precedents, noting that the Philippines’ hosting of ASEAN in 2017 had an allocated budget of ₱16.747 billion, with only ₱8.572 billion reportedly utilized. Furthermore, the hosting of APEC in 2015 incurred costs of approximately ₱9.8 billion, indicating that a more economical approach is feasible.
The filing of House Resolution No. 911 follows President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s declaration of a state of national energy emergency on March 25, 2026, a response to the risks posed by Middle East conflicts to the nation’s energy supply and price stability.
The resolution posits that any savings realized from the ASEAN 2026 budget could serve a dual purpose: bolstering the government’s existing initiatives to combat rising fuel prices and demonstrating fiscal discipline across all government sectors. This initiative aims to set a precedent for responsible resource management while directly addressing a pressing economic concern for the Filipino populace.
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