CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (April 9) — As rising fuel prices driven by Middle East tensions continue to ripple across the country, the Bukidnon provincial government has moved to shore up its defenses—launching a task force aimed at keeping basic services running even under sustained energy pressure.
The provincial government on Wednesday unveiled the Task Force on Petroleum and Energy Resiliency (TF-PER), which will draft a contingency plan to cushion the impact of volatile oil prices on households, businesses, and public services.
TF-PER chairperson and Provincial Board Member Oliver Owen Garcia said the initiative is intended to ensure continuity of government operations amid the country’s state of energy emergency, while also coordinating closely with local leaders to align response measures.
“We will have more meetings with provincial executive officers and local government leaders for this plan to align its mandates,” Garcia said, noting that collaboration across agencies and local units will be key to making the plan effective.
The move reflects growing concern at the local level over how external shocks—particularly global conflicts affecting oil supply—can quickly translate into domestic economic strain, from transportation costs to the delivery of public services.
Beyond planning, immediate relief is already reaching those most affected.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), began distributing cash assistance to public transport drivers and operators in Malaybalay and Valencia cities. Each beneficiary received at least PHP5,000.
The assistance rollout is part of a broader effort covering key cities in Northern Mindanao, where transport workers are among the first to feel the squeeze of fuel price increases through reduced income and rising operating costs.
For Bukidnon, the dual approach—long-term contingency planning alongside short-term financial aid—signals an attempt to manage both the immediate and structural impacts of an energy-driven crisis.
But the challenge ahead remains clear: whether local resilience measures can keep pace with global volatility that continues to dictate prices far beyond the province’s control.
