Senate Deputy Majority Floor Leader JV Ejercito criticized the Marcos Jr. administration’s declaration of a national energy emergency as “a little bit late” on Wednesday, while backing equitable crisis aid for the middle class and rejecting any joint oil ventures with China.

Reacting to the declaration, Ejercito expressed frustration that the government waited until reserves reached critical levels before organizing a unified response. He cited data showing the country has around 25 days of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and 39 days of jet fuel remaining. He warned that because agencies acted as if it were “normal times” over the past month, the threat of fuel rationing is now a distinct possibility.

Despite the need for new energy sources, Ejercito said the crisis should not come at the expense of national sovereignty. He reiterated his opposition to joint oil and gas exploration with Beijing in the South China Sea, noting that extraction would take years and raising concerns over trust.

Instead, Ejercito proposed strengthening ties with Southeast Asian neighbors. He suggested scaling down spending for the upcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit and reallocating funds to augment the proposed P52.8-billion subsidy package put forward by Sen. Risa Hontiveros on 9 March.

He added that reallocated funds should be directed toward the middle class, proposing increased PhilHealth coverage by 30 to 50 percent and the deferral of loan payments to help households cope with the economic impact of rising fuel costs.