HOUSE Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” A. Marcos of Ilocos Norte on Sunday urged his colleagues in the House of Representatives to fast-track the approval of the proposed Kalinga Act, saying it will provide relief for poor Filipinos, the middle class, and small business owners amid rising costs.
Marcos said the measure aims to ensure that government support is ready and automatic during crises such as fuel price spikes and inflation.
“This is about protecting every Filipino—from the poorest families, to the middle class, to small business owners trying to stay afloat,” Marcos said.
Amid continuing tensions in the Middle East that are pushing global oil prices upward, Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III and Marcos led the filing of House Bill (HB) No. 8834, or the Kalinga Act, which seeks to institutionalize a national protection system to ensure Filipinos are not left to bear the full burden of another fuel-driven crisis.
The Kalinga Act is a measure designed to guarantee fast, targeted, and automatic government response when fuel price shocks begin driving up the cost of living.
More than an emergency assistance measure, the Kalinga Act establishes a national protection framework that allows government to act early, decisively, and in a coordinated manner—before rising fuel costs spiral into widespread increases in fares, food prices, electricity, and other daily expenses.
Marcos noted that the committee report is expected to be approved upon resumption of session, paving the way for plenary deliberations.
“We are pushing to move this forward as quickly as possible so we can put real protection in place,” Marcos added.
During the break, the House’s 13-panel Legislative Energy Action and Development (LEAD), led by the Committee on Ways and Means chaired by Marikina Rep. Miro Quimbo, conducted a series of hearings and is now entering a more consequential phase, as lawmakers move to translate testimony, sectoral concerns, and agency recommendations into what Quimbo described as a consolidated Kalinga bill.
Marcos emphasized that the proposal is anchored on the government’s duty to protect livelihoods, stabilize prices, and ensure that no Filipino is left behind in times of crisis.
“Sa panahon ng krisis, dapat malinaw: ang gobyerno ay kakampi ng bawat Pilipino. Walang maiiwan, at walang pababayaan,” he said.
He added that strengthening the country’s ability to respond quickly to economic shocks is essential to preserving both family welfare and economic stability.
“Kapag matatag ang pamilya at negosyo, matatag ang bansa. Iyon ang layunin ng panukalang ito,” Marcos said.
“Hindi na dapat naghahabol ang gobyerno kapag may krisis. Dapat nakaabang na ang tulong,” Marcos added.
