Imee Marcos seeks end to non-essential, ‘vanity projects’ amid fuel price hikes

FILE PHOTO: Senator Imee Marcos. PRIB FILES

MANILA, Philippines— To help address the unabated fuel price hikes, Senator Imee Marcos is proposing the removal of non-essential expenses, including the so-called “vanity” projects of government in the 2023 national budget.

For Marcos, the immediate solution to the problem is to provide subsidies to the most affected sectors – transportation, agriculture, and fishery.

The money, she said, could be sourced from the government’s savings.

“I’m afraid that subsidies will have to continue. Ang tanong saan manggagaling ‘yung pera…?” the senator told reporters on Wednesday.

She said lawmakers may start looking at the 2023 General Appropriations Act when the 19th Congress opens in July.

“Maraming travel, training, pagandahan ng office, ihinto na muna ‘yan. Ihinto na muna at magtipid tayo ng konti, tiis-tiisan. Ang tutukan natin job generation,” she said.

“Yung walang kamatayang travel, training, workshop, bagong building etc, bagong sasakyan, i-review na ‘yan, tanggalin na muna at saka ‘yung mga non-essential na mga vanity projects ika nga, awas muna…” the senator  continued.

As a medium-term solution to the fuel price hikes, the Philippines should start talking to its neighboring countries as possible sources of cheaper oil products,  Marcos also said.

She cited as an example the fuel price in Tawi-Tawi and Sulu, which is at P60 per liter as supplies were reportedly sourced from Malaysia.

READ: Southern comfort: No worries in Tawi-Tawi about fuel price hikes

“In the medium term, I suspect that it’s time to talk to a  lot of our new partners. New partners, ibig kong sabihin siguro ‘yung mga ibang bansa na pwedeng tumulong sa atin sa oil and sa gasoline product,” she said.

Marcos likewise stressed the need to develop new energy sources and “goal to sustainable renewable sources”  as a long-term solution to the rising fuel prices.

“But that’s the long term,” she pointed out.”For the immediate measure, I think it’s important that we look at all that’s available right now.”

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