[OPINION] Another year, another emergency, another crisis

2026-03-25 - 10:11

Already the hottest period of every year, this summer will likely be even more heated in the next few months, as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a “state of national energy emergency.” Oil prices are so high that gas stations have to shut down their electronic boards as they are not designed to reflect three-digit prices. Fuel supply nationwide could only last up to two months. The electricity bills that are among the highest in the Asia-Pacific will increase yet again. The nation’s power system, already vulnerable to structural issues, could also suffer from higher temperatures. Unless the conflict in the Middle East gets resolved soon, we can only expect the current reality to get worse. So far, the government’s response has not been as good as it should be. As the saying goes, “honesty is the best policy.” Yet this seems to be lost in many aspects under the current administration, especially in terms of communications. While the approach for more optimistic messaging to avoid causing panic is understandable, the current leadership is not exactly enjoying a high level of public trust. Not with the ongoing political turmoil or the exposed corruption in flood control projects, as it has not shown it has the capability or the political will from its top official to effectively manage crises. Remember his statement last year of more extreme weather events being the “new normal” that, while scientifically correct, sounds defeatist? Or the recent one about exercising the “bayanihan” spirit that sounds like another rehash of romanticizing resilience? Managing a message Recent comments by the Energy Secretary do not help in assuaging public worries, either. Emphasizing that we are not yet in a crisis, when the President himself has organized a crisis committee, sounds like someone more interested in semantics than directly addressing public concerns. Yes, the cause of this dilemma is not within the control of the Philippine government. But how it is managed and how the solutions are felt on the ground is what matters the most to Filipinos. In times of crises, it is best to be honest about the situation, to not downplay the severity to the point of deflecting, and to understand the needs of your constituency. Must Read What is UPLIFT and what does a ‘national energy emergency’ mean? This is not the time to prioritize individual public images or political interests. This is not the time to talk about terminologies or macro-level numbers that the Filipino people could not care less about, especially these days. We are seeing short-term actions, but we need long-term answers. We need long-term, structural solutions instead of defaulting to ad hoc committees every time there is a crisis. We need to enhance our nation’s self-sufficiency regarding food and energy production, instead of heavily relying on importations that are volatile to global market disruptions like this. We need immediate and long-term reforms for the government on regulations instead of requesting to oil companies to be transparent or take it easy on price hikes. It would also help for our top officials to learn how to communicate in a way that does not appear to be downplaying the severity of the problems being faced by its people – jeepney drivers whose income barely keeps up with current fuel prices, fishermen who would their yields decrease without fuel for their boats, and consumers forced to deal with seemingly everything around them increasing except their salaries. Our leaders must show they have learned from previous crises because unfortunately, there is more to come. The climate lens Have you heard the recent statement of the new environment secretary about a potential “water bankruptcy”? Or that another El Niño could be headed our way in the coming months? Whether on oil, water, or more record-breaking temperatures, all of these problems are connected to the climate crisis. As they have long-term impacts, they require long-term policies and plans that go beyond reactionary responses or the not-so-stellar track record in handling crises of their scales. At least for the long-term, there are plans being developed and implemented to enhance the nation’s responses to the climate crisis. Among these is the National Adaptation Plan, which includes strategies to enhance food and water security and restore our forests, watersheds, and other ecosystems. If properly enforced, instead of being forced to adjust on relatively short notice, our nation will be able to proactively adapt to the changes around us. Of course, that would require meeting the massive financial needs to enact these plans, but at least the effort for more long-term planning can be seen. However, the same cannot be said about the need to transition away from fossil fuels. The process will take years to decades to occur, but with what we are currently experiencing, this shift should at least start as soon as possible. Where would we be if renewable energy development was more prioritized back then instead of having its share in our energy mix actually decrease in the past two decades? We will not be importing as much fuel and scrambling for energy options that come with mixed signals, for sure. As of today, there remains no phaseout plan for the supposed “transition fuel” known as gas. Waste-to-energy and nuclear are both supposedly getting strong support as alternatives – until no one wants them in their backyard. The 2020 coal moratorium was actually weakened in recent years, which only prolongs dependence on an outdated baseload-centric philosophy instead of aiming towards more flexibility. What the Philippines is a genuine plan for just energy transition. It must have a clear timeline and set of targets to transition from fossil fuels and prioritize RE. It must make the energy sector less reliant on the wishes of big businesses and make it more democratized, affordable, and accessible to every Filipino. Another year, another emergency, another crisis. We have said this before, but it is worth repeating: we cannot have another more of the same. – Rappler.com John Leo Algo is the national coordinator of Aksyon Klima Pilipinas.