The Department of Energy announced that the upcoming State of the Nation Address will shape near‑term energy policy as renewed conflict in the Persian Gulf threatens to pressure oil prices once more.
Energy Secretary Sharon S. Garin said the president could provide a directive to mitigate the impact of an oil crisis, hoping to protect the economy from further shocks.
The address, scheduled for July 27, is expected to include updates on the national energy emergency triggered by attacks on Iran that disrupted regional oil shipments.
Disruptions in the region lifted domestic diesel prices to a peak of P170 per liter, one of the highest spikes globally, before a brief stabilization period. Recent fighting has pushed pump prices above P100 again.
Garin stated that the department has submitted recommendations to the President’s office and is preparing for any forthcoming directive, emphasizing energy’s importance to the administration.
With the final two years of the current administration approaching, the department aims to complete more than 200 major energy projects that are currently in the pipeline.
A master plan to build and rehabilitate power facilities in Mindoro, Palawan, and the Visayas is underway, targeting the multiple yellow alerts caused by plant shutdowns in those regions.
Garin expressed confidence that the situation in the Visayas would improve by the time the president leaves office, thanks to the plans already in place.
