Senator urges unity amid oil crisis

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY — Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito called for unity as the country grapples with an oil crisis, saying survival and economic stability should take precedence over politics.

Ejercito was in Negros Occidental for the 30th Panaad sa Negros Festival, where he met with sugar industry leaders and municipal mayors led by Pulupandan Mayor Miguel Peña, president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines-Negros Occidental chapter.

In a recent media interview, Ejercito said national unity is critical in times of crisis.

He declined to comment directly on the impeachment issue involving Vice President Sara Duterte, but said the government should focus first on helping the country weather the crisis before engaging in political conflict.

Ejercito said that if the matter reaches the Senate, senators have a constitutional duty to convene as an impeachment court.

“I don’t want to talk about politics as much as possible. We have so many problems. We need to survive this crisis before fighting. We have to survive and be united,” he added.

The impeachment complaints against Duterte accuse her of betrayal of public trust and possible constitutional violations, including alleged irregularities in the use of confidential and intelligence funds under the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education when she served as its secretary.

The House committee on justice has said it aims to conclude its impeachment hearings on April 29 as it nears the end of its evidence-gathering phase.

“Let’s set politics aside for now. We must prioritize survival and keep the economy running,” the senator said.

Ejercito warned against allowing the economy to become paralyzed by uncertainty.

“Politics is just there. Unahin mo na natin ang mabuhay at maka survive tayo,” he said.

“What’s important is that we stay united as we face these challenges. Hopefully, we can overcome this crisis together and revive key industries like the sugar sector,” he said.

Ejercito underscored the need to keep vital sectors operating, particularly transportation, to prevent wider economic disruption.

Despite the difficulties, he expressed confidence in the resilience of Filipinos, especially Negrenses, whom he described as strong in overcoming hardship.

“We have faced many crises before, but Negrenses continue to stand strong,” he said.

The oil crisis tied to tensions in the Middle East has put pressure on the transport sector because of higher fuel costs.