President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has announced a shift in the frequency of meetings concerning the fuel crisis. The UPLIFT committee will now convene biweekly instead of weekly.
Despite this reduction, a Palace spokesperson emphasized that President Marcos remains confident in his cabinet's ability to address the energy challenges arising from the conflict in the Middle East.
Malacañang confirmed that the next UPLIFT meeting is scheduled for May 19, following the cancellation of a planned meeting on Tuesday.
Press officer Claire Castro stated that cabinet members will continue their efforts to mitigate the crisis effects even without weekly meetings, ensuring ongoing work.
The UPLIFT committee, created in response to energy supply threats linked to the Middle East war, first met on March 31. Subsequent meetings were held weekly until this recent decision.
On March 24, Marcos issued an executive order declaring a national energy emergency, aiming to stabilize the country's energy supply amid global oil market disruptions.
The president sees that even if meetings are no longer being held every week, our cabinet secretaries and other agencies continue working continuously to mitigate the effects of the crisis in the Middle East.
Claire Castro, Palace Press Officer
The UPLIFT committee is composed of key government officials, including the secretaries of various departments related to energy, transportation, agriculture, and finance.