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The House of Representatives is pushing a new measure aimed at helping Filipinos cope with rising fuel prices and future economic shocks, with lawmakers calling it a long-term response to the country’s recurring oil crisis.

During the second meeting of the ad hoc LEAD committee on Tuesday, Marikina Rep. Miro Quimbo said the proposed Kalinga Bill would serve as the House’s comprehensive plan to protect households, workers, and businesses from the impact of soaring oil prices.

The measure was authored by Speaker Faustino Dy III and Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander Marcos.

“It is now timely that we present to the Filipino people the direction of our response. The Kalinga Bill serves as the strong foundation for consolidating the outcome of the deliberations into a substitute bill,” Quimbo said.

He explained that the proposal is not only meant to provide immediate relief but also to introduce long-term reforms that would reduce the country’s dependence on imported fuel.

“The proposals before us are meant to provide more than immediate relief, but to begin the long-term systemic changes to reduce our fuel dependency,” he added.

The proposed Kalinga Program — short for Komprehensibong Alalay sa Livelihood, Inflation, Negosyo, and Goods Assistance — is contained in House Bill No. 8834.

According to Quimbo, the program focuses on both short-term aid and long-term resilience.

“This is the spirit of the Kalinga Program: relief now, resilience for the future. The framework seeks to address both sides of the crisis: direct and targeted relief for vulnerable households and sectors; and stabilization measures to keep food, transport, energy, jobs, essential services, and supply chains moving,” he said.

The bill includes seven key components, including fuel price stabilization, energy supply security, targeted assistance for affected sectors, support for small businesses, conservation measures, and flexible fiscal and regulatory responses.

Quimbo said the proposal also encourages renewable energy adoption and fuel efficiency to help lessen the country’s dependence on imported oil in the future.

He thanked representatives from both the government and private sector who joined the committee discussions over the past two months, saying cooperation would remain important moving forward.

“The partnership formed in the past two months must continue beyond these meetings because the work ahead will require the same urgency, openness, and coordination in turning these proposals into real relief for our people,” he said.

Quimbo stressed that rising fuel prices affect nearly every Filipino, from commuters and drivers to farmers, fishermen, and small business owners.

“When the price of fuel rises, the impact travels through the entire economy. It affects the cost of going to work, the cost of bringing food to market, the cost of operating a small business, and the cost of keeping the lights on and meeting the most basic needs of a family. Fuel is not just one commodity. It is an input into almost everything that keeps daily life moving,” he explained.

He also highlighted the struggles faced by workers and ordinary Filipinos dealing with increasing transportation and operating costs.

“Problema ito ng driver na bawat pasada ay kinakain ng dagdag-presyo sa diesel. Problema ito ng magsasaka at mangingisda na tumataas ang gastos bago pa makarating sa merkado ang kanilang produkto,” he said.

“Problema ito ng commuter na kailangang pumasok araw-araw kahit patuloy na tumataas ang gastos sa biyahe. Problema ito ng maliliit na negosyo na gustong panatilihing abot-kaya ang presyo, pero patuloy namang tumataas ang kuryente, logistics, at operasyon,” Quimbo added.

Before ending his remarks, Quimbo said the House leadership moved quickly to assess the full impact of the oil crisis by consulting different sectors affected by rising fuel costs.

“At sa huli, layunin natin na dumating ang panahon na sa pagtaas ng presyo ng langis sa mundo, hindi na mayayanig ang kabuhayan at hapag-kainan ng pamilyang Pilipino,” he said.