Albay 2nd District Rep. Jose Ma. “Joey” Salceda said on Saturday, Aug. 6 his proposed special powers for President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. will resolve the high inflation rate in the Philippines within one year.
Under his proposed House Bill No. 2227 or “Bayan Bangon Muli” (BBM) Act, Marcos will be granted the following: anti-hoarding power; power to incentivize the production of critical goods and services; power to provide loans and loan guarantees to private firms for price and supply stabilization.
Marcos will also be given the power of anti-price gouging; the power to investigate market abuse in the energy and essential goods sector; the power to declare and resolve a transport emergency; power to mobilize military and uniformed services to expedite the delivery of essential goods and services; and power to constitute inter-agency working groups or task forces.
“Napaka-praktikal at simpleng powers po na hindi naman po tatagal. Hanggang nandyan po ang kaaway, inflation, itong powers na ‘to ay pwede niyang gamitin na sa tancha ko ay within 18 months ay matatapos na po ito,” Salceda said in an interview with Cesar Chavez during DZRH’s Special on Saturday (SOS).
He said it is a tradition to give a President a special power to spend more public funds in times of crisis, just like the stimulus Bayanihan 1 and 2 that was granted during the pandemic.
“Traditional na nakagawian na kapag may konting problema ay binibigyan natin ng mas maraming pera ang Pangulo katulad na napaka-laking stimulus Bayanihan 1, Bayanihan 2. So nung magsisimula po ang PBBM administration, meron pong mga proposal ulit na BBM package. Sabi ko powers lang, baka kayanin na,” he explained.
Salceda said the increasing inflation is seen more in the oils and fats, sugar, transportation, and flour.
He claimed that sugar will continue to increase more when face-to-face classes begin, and so he also proposed in the bill to restrict sugary drinks.
HB No. 227 also seeks to provide assistance for the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs); and plans for energy, fuel, and transportation prices, and supply.
“I hope the UK-Russian war does not re-escalate. I think we might see a peak if we do things right. Ibigsabihin this 6.4 percent [of inflation] should already be the peak. If you do nothing, which is not a policy under President Bongbong. If things will be done, we may see the inflation actually go down towards the year-end,” Salceda stressed out.
The BBM bill has been endorsed by House Speaker Martin G. Romualdez.
Romualdez earlier said that Congress is committed to the legislative agendas of Marcos and expressed support for the BBM bill.
