SPEAKER Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III on Thursday said the proposed KALINGA Act includes measures to stabilize food supply and logistics costs, as he warned that fuel price spikes quickly translate into higher prices of essential goods.
Section 8 of the bill establishes the Essential Goods and Logistics Stabilization Component, which provides support for transport and distribution of essential goods, buffer stocking, shipping and inter-island logistics support, cold chain systems, and priority fuel allocation for food supply chains.
The Speaker from Isabela—one of the country’s food baskets—explained that this component is crucial in controlling food inflation.
“Kapag tumaas ang presyo ng diesel, tumataas ang gastos sa transportasyon ng pagkain. Eventually, consumers ang naaapektuhan. We must stabilize logistics to stabilize prices,” said Dy.
“The KALINGA bill prioritizes the movement of essential goods so supply chains remain stable even during fuel shocks. Para matiyak na tuloy-tuloy ang supply ng pagkain sa mga pamilihan, mapigilan ang pagtaas ng gastos sa transportasyon, at maprotektahan ang mga pamilya laban sa biglaang pagtaas ng presyo.”
Dy said ensuring supply chain stability protects both producers and consumers.
“This prevents disruptions, keeps food moving, and helps control inflation,” the Speaker said.
Dy and House Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” A. Marcos filed House Bill No. 8834 establishing the KALINGA Program. The proposal integrates seven components: (1) fuel price stabilization; (2) energy supply security and inventory management; (3) targeted assistance; (4) essential goods and logistics stabilization; (5) MSME energy relief and business continuity; (6) energy conservation and demand reduction; and (7) flexible fiscal and regulatory measures.