Malacañang on Tuesday assured the public that government efforts to address the impact of the Middle East crisis would continue despite fewer meetings of the Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) Committee.
In a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said UPLIFT meetings would now be held every two weeks, with the next meeting scheduled on May 19.
Asked why the number of meetings had been scaled back, Castro said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. observed that Cabinet secretaries and concerned agencies continue to work even without weekly meetings.
“Nakikita po kasi ng Pangulo na kahit hindi mag-meeting every week, ngayon ay nakikita po na tuloy-tuloy pa rin po ang pagtatrabaho ng ating mga Cabinet secretaries at ang ibang ahensiya patungkol po dito para maibsan ang epekto ng krisis sa Middle East (The President sees that even without weekly meetings, our Cabinet secretaries and other agencies continue working to mitigate the effects of the Middle East crisis),” Castro said.
“So, tuluy-tuloy pa rin po — kahit hindi po nagmi-meeting na every week, tuluy-tuloy pa rin po ang pagtatrabaho (The work continues even if meetings are no longer being held every week),” she added.
Castro said the proposed UPLIFT bill may also be included in the agenda of the next Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC), also scheduled on May 19.
The UPLIFT Committee, chaired by the President, leads the government’s response to the ongoing energy emergency triggered by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
It is tasked to stabilize food prices, support key sectors like farmers and transport workers, and protect consumers through targeted subsidies and interventions.
The government is also pushing for the urgent passage of the UPLIFT bill to enhance the utilization of public funds and support vulnerable sectors amid global volatility and geopolitical tensions.
Meanwhile, the Office of the Executive Secretary (OES) said in a statement that the government is further strengthening the implementation of the UPLIFT Program to support the transportation sector and ensure food security amid the ongoing energy emergency.
In preparation for the upcoming meeting, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto met with select Cabinet members to coordinate efforts to accelerate and streamline the government’s response efforts.
Among the key measures discussed was the expansion of the Fuel Subsidy Program to help sustain public transportation operations nationwide.
Under the program, jeepneys and UV Express units are entitled to a PHP10 per liter fuel discount, while more than 2,000 gas stations nationwide are participating in the subsidy initiative for public utility vehicles, the OES said.
The government is also expanding fuel assistance coverage to buses and delivery trucks, particularly those transporting agricultural products and other essential goods, to help stabilize supply chains and mitigate rising transport costs.
The OES said government agencies are intensifying efforts to ensure that assistance reaches intended beneficiaries, adding that support interventions for farmers and fisherfolk are being strengthened to ensure adequate and sufficient supply for Filipino families. (PNA)
