Presidential aspirant Senator Manny Pacquiao on Tuesday stressed the need to conduct a special session among lawmakers to address the soaring fuel prices.

In a video message sent to reporters, Pacquiao also pushed for direct subsidy for the members of the transport sector.

According to the senator, Congress can actually come up with a measure suspending the collection of excise tax on petroleum products in a bid to minimize the huge increase in fuel prices.

If it cannot be done, Pacquiao said, the excise tax can be used as subsidies for the public transport sector.

"Una, iminumungkahi ko agad na magpatawag ng special session sa kongreso para pag-usapan ang solusyon na maaring irekomenda kaugnay ng patuloy na pagtaas ng presyo ng krudo. Alam natin na ito ay direktang makaka-apekto at magpapahirap sa mga commuter at transport sector (I recommend to have a special session in the Congress to talk about solutions that can be recommended amid the continuous oil price hike. We know that this can directly affect and burden the commuters and the transport sector," he said.

Pacquiao also said the government should expand the use of the P7-billion service contracting budget, which is allotted under the General Appropriations Act of 2022.

While the government cannot simply suspend collection of the excise tax as doing so would require passing a legislation, Pacquiao said providing direct subsidy can be immediately implemented instead through the funds collected from excise taxes.

The aspiring president said the people also need immediate support to avoid a full-blown recession that may come following the series of fuel price shocks.

"Kung mabibigyan natin ng ayuda ang mga nasa transport sector ay mapipigilan nito ang pagtaas ng halaga ng pasahe ng mga commuter at pagtaas ng presyo ng bilihin (If we can give assistance to those in the transport sector, we can contain the fare hike and the increase in basic necessities," he said.