Marcos meets energy execs

MANILA, Philippines — While vetting for his energy chief continues, President Marcos has met with department officials at Malacañang as various sectors call on his administration to mitigate the impact of successive oil price hikes.

“Sa pandaigdigang krisis ng pagtaas ng presyo ng langis, isa sa magiging mahalagang kasama natin sa pagtugon ay ang Kagawaran ng Enerhiya (As the world faces a crisis caused by rising oil prices, one of our important partners in responding to it is the Department of Energy),”Marcos said yesterday in a tweet.

“Masusing tinalakay ang ating mga susunod na hakbang at ang magiging direksyon ng departamento (Our next steps and the direction of the department were thoroughly discussed),” he added.

Malacañang has yet to issue a statement on the meeting.

Last Wednesday, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said possible nominees for the top energy post were still being evaluated.

At a press briefing days before he assumed office, Marcos rejected a proposal to suspend the excise tax on fuel, saying he prefers to focus on sectors and workers whose livelihoods are endangered by rising oil prices.

“I prefer to handle the problem on the other side of the equation and provide assistance to those who are in need because if you reduce the excise taxes that does not necessarily help those who are most in need,” he said.

During his inauguration, Marcos said there is a “parallel problem” in the energy supply as sufficient fossil fuel-free technology for whole economies has yet to be invented.

“A free world awash with oil can assure supplies or we will find a way. We are not far from oil and gas reserves that have already been developed,” he added.