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Philippine province declares state of calamity as oil prices drive commodities to crisis levels
Sorsogon is the first local government to declare state of calamity following President Marcos' declaration of state of national energy emergency amid the US-Israel-Iran war
- PUBLISHED: Sat 28 Mar 2026, 7:50 PM
[Editor's Note: Follow Khaleej Times live blog amid US-Israel-Iran war for the latest regional developments.]
A province in the Philippines has declared a 'state of calamity' as local prices of fuel and commodities have risen to prohibitive heights since the outbreak of the war in the Middle East.
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In a resolution, the Provincial Council of Sorsogon said residents of the southern Luzon province had been significantly affected by the war in West Asia, such that the calamity proclamation had become necessary.
A state of calamity is a formal declaration by the national or local government when an area had suffered severe, widespread damage from natural or man-made disasters.
In Resolution No. 215-2026, the council said such declaration is allowed when “at least 30% of the means of livelihood on agriculture, business, and industrial sectors are affected.”
Sorsogon is the first local government to declare a state of calamity following the Ferdinand Marcos Jr. government’s declaration of a “State of National Energy Emergency” in response to the effects of the US/Israel-Iran war.
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Like the rest of the country, Sorsogon is being ground by runaway prices of fuel on which its agriculture and fishing industries are dependent.
Sorsogon, located at the southern tip of Luzon island, has pricier fuels due its distance from the country’s sole remaining oil refinery in Bataan province.
The mechanism unlocks government’s emergency funds for relief and aid. Sorsogon’s initial allocation is P5 million, sourced from the province’s quick response fund.
Assistance to drivers
Sorsogon Governor Edwin Hamor said they will prioritize assistance to transport drivers by providing modern jeepneys 10 liters, traditional jeepneys seven liters, and tricycles with full tanks on a weekly basis.
Around 13,000 drivers in 14 towns and one city in the province are targeted beneficiaries.
A state of calamity also gives the government the power to freeze prices of important commodities to prevent overpricing.
