The House of Representatives took the first hearing of 13-committee Legislative Energy Action Development (LEAD) Council very seriously.

An unheard of 170 out of the 318 members of the lower chamber was listed as the peak attendance of the energy crisis council hearing around noon Wednesday, April 8. The marathon proceedings, which began at 10 a.m. were still ongoing as of this posting.

By midday, 170 lawmakers had joined the hearing, including 51 who were physically present and 119 who participated virtually via teleconferencing.

For context, public hearings in the House only breach the six to seven-hour mark during the budhet discussions of contentious agencies, like the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and Department of Agriculture (DA).

The mega-panel's hearing was held amid Congress' annual summer recess--a time when the solons weren't expected to dabble in legislative work.

But such was the import of the LEAD Council, which was organized by House Speaker Isabela Rep. Faustino "Bojie" Dy III and Majority Leader Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos to help the legislature come up with both short-term and long-term solutions to the fuel price crisis.

Marikina City Rep. Miro Quimbo, chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, presided over the hearing.

Also joining the hearing were the chairpersons of the 12 other panels: Palawan Rep. Jose Alvarez (Committee on Energy), Quezon Rep. Mark Enverga (Agriculture and Food), Nueva Ecija Rep. Mikaela Angela Suansing (Appropriations), Camarines Sur Rep. Tsuyoshi Anthony “Hori” Horibata (Aquaculture and Fisheries Resources), Antique Rep. Antonio Legarda Jr. (Economic Affairs), Pangasinan Rep. Maria Rachel Arenas (Foreign Affairs), Camarines Sur Rep. Miguel Luis Villafuerte (Information and Communications Technology), Cavite Rep. Ramon “Jolo” Revilla III (Labor and Employment), Agimat Party-list Rep. Bryan Revilla (Overseas Workers Affairs), Davao Oriental Rep. Cheeno Miguel Almario (Social Services), Mountain Province Rep. Maximo Dalog Jr. (Trade and Industry), and Quezon City Rep. Franz Pumaren (Transportation).

The first half of Wednesday's hearing focused on immediate operating pressures such as fuel supply, maritime disruptions, and overseas Filipino exposure, with agencies from the energy, foreign affairs, and migrant workers sectors presenting updates to the mega panel.

The second half--which began after a late lunch break--was set aside for the fiscal and macroeconomic side, with the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) leading discussions on the wider economic consequences of the crisis and the State’s capacity to respond.

During the hearing, House members learned from Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Acting Secretary Rolando Toledo that up to P238 billion can be mobilized in response to the fallout from runaway fuel prices.

Toledo said the amount would come from available appropriations under the 2026 national budget and continuing funds.

He says the Marcos administration’s position is to respond aggressively to crisis, while still guarding fiscal space by directing aid to those who need it most.

“We have to be prudent. The assistance must be targeted to those who are most vulnerable,” Toledo said

He reported that P2.5 billion has already been released for transport assistance, along with another P1 billion for service contracting to keep public transport operations afloat under higher fuel costs.

He says cash support is also being rolled out through the Aid to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program, with funds already allotted and disbursement continuing as agencies submit requests.

Support for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) has likewise been funded through the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

According to Toledo, the government can still expand current safety-net programs if the crisis persists.