THE House of Representatives on Wednesday approved on second reading the proposed Komprehensibong Alalay sa Livelihood, Inflation, Negosyo at Goods Assistance Act, or the KALINGA Act, which aims to provide short- and long-term aid to the public amid increasing oil prices brought by the Middle East tension.
Voting viva voce, lawmakers approved House Bill 9305 as amended, seeking to institutionalize a national crisis-response framework by setting thresholds that would automatically trigger government interventions during extraordinary fuel prices increases, supply disruptions, inflation shocks, and energy emergencies.
In his sponsorship speech on Tuesday, House Ways and Means Committee chairperson and Marikina 2nd District Rep. Miro Quimbo said the proposed KALINGA Act aims to establish a national emergency relief, stabilization and resiliency framework through a combination of short- and long-term programs.
The bill authorizes direct and targeted assistance to affected households and sectors, including cash, food, fuel, electricity, transport, MSME, labor, and OFW-related support, according to Quimbo.
He also emphasized that the KALINGA Act is not only an aid measure but a long-term crisis-response framework and an energy-security measure.
“The bill promotes energy conservation, fuel efficiency, renewable energy adoption, electric mobility, and other measures that reduce our dependence on imported petroleum,” Quimbo said.
The KALINGA Act was originally filed by Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III and Majority Leader Sandro Marcos.
The Speaker earlier said the measure is a “direct response to what Filipinos are experiencing on the ground.”
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