ILOILO City — Amid the escalating Middle East crisis, the Iloilo City Government has activated a Crisis Management Committee to contain the impact of surging oil prices on fuel, electricity, and basic commodities, signaling an aggressive, whole-of-city response to a looming economic squeeze.
The newly formed body has been tasked to closely track fuel price movements, flag irregularities, and assess economic fallout in real time, with findings to be relayed to the Department of Energy (DOE) for immediate action.
Crisis Management Committee executive director and General Services Office (GSO) head Engr. Neil Ravena said the move is meant to ensure swift, coordinated intervention before price shocks cascade across sectors.
“The reason why the mayor formed this team is so we can respond immediately to the crisis in oil prices. We need to closely monitor not just fuel but also basic commodities,” Ravena said.
City authorities have already begun coordinating with key players in the fuel and power sectors, warning that rising oil costs could soon spill over into higher electricity rates.
“Eventually, this goes beyond fuel, it will impact energy prices as well. That’s why we invited stakeholders so we can prepare a coordinated response,” he said.
As part of immediate austerity measures, the city government has ordered a 10-percent reduction in fuel allocation for government vehicles and tightened monitoring of fuel consumption. These steps align with national directives aimed at conserving energy amid global volatility.
The city is also leveraging DOE-backed digital reporting systems and on-the-ground monitoring to detect possible price manipulation.
“There are monitoring guidelines from the DOE, including an online platform where the public can directly report violations. The DOE will be the one to issue notices to establishments with unauthorized price increases,” Ravena explained.
Beyond fuel, Iloilo City is pushing broader energy-saving efforts, including a four-day work week and reduced operating hours for elevators and air-conditioning systems at City Hall. Officials are targeting up to 20-percent energy savings — double the minimum benchmark.
“It’s ambitious, but we are trying to reach 20 percent because oil prices continue to increase. We need to stay ahead in addressing the crisis,” Ravena said.
The city is also mobilizing businesses, schools, and institutions to adopt conservation measures, particularly during peak hours when electricity costs are highest. Schools with unusually high power consumption have already been flagged, with inspection teams deployed and corrective directives issued.
At the same time, the Crisis Management Committee is crafting contingency plans for multiple scenarios, including extreme cases of supply disruption and steep price hikes.
“Each member of the team will submit their response plans for scenario one, two, and three. These include projections of supply duration and corresponding actions,” Ravena said.
Initial projections indicate that fuel supply could last between 30 to 45 days under certain conditions, although authorities emphasized that a worst-case shortage remains unlikely.
“The Department of Energy has assured us that the worst-case scenario is an extreme situation. But we are preparing for it just the same,” he added.
Despite mounting global uncertainty, city officials said fuel and LPG supply in Iloilo City remains stable for now, underscoring that preparedness — not panic — is driving the city’s intensified response./PN
