Sixty days into the Middle East conflict, the Philippine government has already disbursed P41.6 billion as part of its escalating intervention efforts to cushion the impact of regional tensions on the domestic economy.
Senator Win Gatchalian disclosed the figure during a Senate hearing, citing data confirmed by the Department of Budget and Management. The amount spans multiple intervention programs activated under a whole-of-government approach, mobilized after President Bongbong Marcos declared a state of national energy emergency in response to heightened tensions in the region.
Among the key intervention measures rolled out is a fuel subsidy program targeting public utility drivers burdened by oil price increases directly linked to the conflict. Marcos also ordered the implementation of the UPLIFT program as part of the broader relief framework aimed at vulnerable sectors absorbing the economic shocks of the crisis.
Total appropriations for the government’s intervention response stand at P238.6 billion. Of this, P130.4 billion has been released as allotments, while P53.5 billion has been obligated as of April 24, 2026. The figures show that a significant portion of funds has yet to be disbursed despite the scale of the allocation.
Department of Economy, Planning, and Development Undersecretary Joseph Capuno confirmed the disbursement data during the same hearing, reinforcing the intervention figures presented. Sherwin Gatchalian, who chairs both the Senate Finance Committee and the PROTECT Committee, highlighted the scale and pace of the government’s emergency spending during the hearing as part of discussions on the response to the Middle East crisis.
Gatchalian underscored the pace of spending during the hearing. “Ang gobyerno ay gumastos na ng P41.6 billion. We’re already 60 days into the conflict. After 60 days, ang release ng gobyerno or disbursements ng gobyerno is about P41.6 billion, cut across different intervention programs,” he said.
