Imee Marcos: Time for PH to talk with ASEAN neighbors on oil sources

Senator Imee Marcos has said it is high time for the Philippines to talk to its Asian neighbors to help with the county’s oil supply and also look at sustainable and renewable sources of energy.

Marcos, chairwoman of the Senate economic affairs committee, issued this statement during a brief media interview where she enumerated short, medium and long-term measures to cushion the impacts of the global oil shock to Filipinos.

Among others, she also pushed for subsidies as immediate solution for sectors affected by the spike in oil prices, as well as conservation of oil products.

For the immediate term, Marcos suggested that the country talks with its neighbors as the price of gasoline in Tawi-Tawi and Sulu in southern Philippines is very low at P60 per liter.

The gasoline being sold in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi were reportedly bought in Malaysia.

As of June 13, the average price of gasoline per liter in the world is P104.94 while the Philippine price is P82.85 or $1.553 in the United States.

‘’Siguro kausapin na natin ang Brunei, kausapin natin ang Malaysia, Indonesia, lahat ng ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries at magtulungan pati sa China (Perhaps we should talk to Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and all the Asean countries, including China),’’ Marcos said.

` ‘’In the long term clearly, you have to develop new sources and go to sustainable and renewable sources, but that’s the long term. For the immediate measure, I think it’s important that we look at all that is available right now,’’ she pointed out.

Marcos, likewise, said government should look at funds from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Paper) and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) to subsidize those in need particularly the transport, agriculture and fishery sectors.