Issue 010 — The UPLIFT Doctrine | Exoasia Intelligence
Exoasia Intelligence
MRSI Series  ·  Issue 010  ·  March 27, 2026
Issue 010 ·March 27, 2026 ·MRSI Newsletter
Market & Strategic Research Intelligence

The UPLIFT
Doctrine

President Marcos signed EO 110 on March 24, 2026 — declaring a State of National Energy Emergency and activating UPLIFT, a whole-of-government response to Middle East-driven fuel disruptions. Eight agencies. ₱6.793 trillion in appropriations already in place. One year of emergency powers. Here is what every business owner and CxO needs to know — agency by agency, peso by peso.

MC
Mack Comandante
Founder-CEO, Exoasia Innovation Hub  ·  Executive Director, GACPh
₱6.79T2026 Budget [1]
8UPLIFT Agencies [2]
₱2.48TUnreleased Funds [3]
The Briefing

On March 24, 2026, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order No. 110 — declaring a State of National Energy Emergency in response to escalating Middle East tensions that have threatened global oil production and critical maritime routes including the Strait of Hormuz.[2] The Philippines, as a net importer of petroleum, sits directly in the blast radius.

EO 110 is not just a headline. It activates UPLIFT — the Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport — a coordinated, whole-of-government response framework backed by the largest national budget in Philippine history: ₱6.793 trillion.[1] As of end-February 2026, ₱2.48 trillion remains unreleased from that budget.[3] EO 110 is the trigger that can move it — and the eight agencies below are the channels.

The declaration remains in force for one year unless extended or lifted by the President.[2] What follows is the complete intelligence brief: every agency's mandate, 2026 budget, key program lines, and the precise CxO action for each.

"EO 110 does not add new money. It redirects existing appropriations with emergency speed and removes the bureaucratic friction that normally slows them down."
Exoasia Intelligence Analysis · Issue 010
Agency-by-Agency Intelligence

The UPLIFT Architecture

DOE  ·  Command Center
Department of Energy
₱3.8B [4] +24.4% vs 2025
Mandate under EO 110
Directed and authorized to take appropriate measures to safeguard the stability and adequacy of the country's energy supply and mitigate the adverse effects of global energy market disruptions.[5] Specific powers include fuel optimization plans, load management in the power system, enforcement of energy conservation, and action against hoarding, profiteering, and supply manipulation.[6] DOE, PNOC, and PNOC Exploration Corporation are authorized to procure fuel and petroleum products and, when the Energy Secretary certifies necessity, to make advance payments beyond the standard 15% cap.[6]
Key Budget Lines
₱6.4B Rural Electrification [4] ₱500M Total Electrification [4] ₱460M Alt Fuels & EV R&D [4] ₱198M RE Development +15.7% [4]
CxO Action
Treat fuel procurement as a C-suite function immediately. DOE's emergency procurement authority means the government can outbid commercial buyers for tight supply. Lock in volume contracts now. The ₱460M alternative fuels program is your entry point if you are building EV, LPG, or CNG solutions — backed by emergency mandate.
DOTr  ·  Mobility Continuity
Department of Transportation
₱197.3B [7] +124% vs 2025  ·  90.3% executed [3]
Mandate under EO 110
Core implementing agency tasked with keeping public transportation and logistics systems operating reliably throughout the emergency.[6] Positioned as the lead driver of cleaner mobility — promoting EV adoption in public transport and aligning regulatory actions with the mandate to reduce petroleum dependence and accelerate transition to low-emission transport systems.[6]
Key Budget Lines
₱76.1B NSCR Railway [7] ₱45.4B MM Subway Ph.1 [7] ₱5.7B Transportation Program [7] 90.3% Budget Execution [3]
CxO Action
Fleet EV transition is now compliance-aligned capex, not discretionary spend. DOTr's 90.3% execution rate signals an agency that moves money fast.[3] If you are in e-mobility, charging infrastructure, or alternative fuel logistics — DOTr is your primary government partner right now.
DA  ·  Food Chain Shield
Department of Agriculture
₱153.9B [8] 55% executed  ·  ≈₱70B unreleased [3]
Mandate under EO 110
Directed to monitor the adequate supply of agricultural inputs and food products and to undertake necessary measures to maintain their availability at the lowest possible cost.[9] Ensures farmers and food distributors have the fuel and inputs needed so that food access — especially for vulnerable communities — is not compromised.[6]
Key Budget Lines
₱256.5B Total Agri Sector [8] ₱16B Farm-to-Market Roads [8] ₱9.98B PRDP Cold Storage [8] ₱45.1B NIA Irrigation [8]
CxO Action — Window Alert
The 55% execution rate means ≈₱70B in DA funds is unreleased and under emergency pressure to move.[3] Agribusiness, cold chain, food manufacturing, and farm input distributors: engage DA regional offices immediately. The farm-to-market road and cold storage programs are live and underspent. Submit proposals now.
DTI  ·  MSME Shield & Market Stability
Department of Trade and Industry
₱9.95B [10] ₱2.38B for MSME Programs [10]
Mandate under EO 110
Directed to monitor and implement remedies to address excessive or unreasonable price increases on necessities and prime commodities.[5] Must also implement support programs for MSMEs and promote the adoption of electric vehicles, renewable energy, and other energy-efficient solutions in transportation, logistics, and manufacturing to reduce petroleum dependence.[5]
Key Budget Lines
₱2.38B MSME Development [10] ₱931.9M Exports & Investment [10] ₱638.1M BOI Investment Promo +31.5% [10] 65.3% utilization 2024 (flagged) [10]
CxO Action
DTI holds ₱2.38B earmarked for MSMEs and an emergency mandate to deploy faster. Engage your DTI regional office this week. Watch for energy efficiency grants, fuel cost subsidy windows, and MSME resilience funds. Essential goods suppliers: DTI has explicit price monitoring authority — document every cost increase with dated purchase orders or you risk a price manipulation investigation.
DSWD  ·  Social Protection Arm
Dept. of Social Welfare & Development
₱223.2B [11] +2.7% vs 2025 [7]
Mandate under EO 110
Ordered to expedite the release of assistance under the AICS (Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations) and provide appropriate social welfare and livelihood support to affected sectors — including transport workers, farmers, fisherfolk, displaced workers, repatriated OFWs, and other vulnerable groups — through the Sustainable Livelihood Program.[5]
Key Budget Lines
₱221.36B OSEC Programs [11] 4Ps Conditional Cash Transfer AICS Crisis Assistance Sustainable Livelihood Program
CxO Action
DSWD's cash injections into the lowest income deciles are your demand stabilizer. Do not exit affordability-tier products — government transfers will keep that consumer base active through the full emergency period. The Sustainable Livelihood Program is also a channel for grassroots enterprise partnerships aligned with DSWD's beneficiary base.
DOF  ·  Fiscal Architecture
Department of Finance
WATCH VAT + Excise Relief In Motion [12]
Mandate under EO 110
Sits on the UPLIFT Committee as the fiscal architecture layer — responsible for identifying revenue relief mechanisms and tax suspension frameworks. Fuel excise tax suspension is already in motion, while senators are eyeing the additional reduction or suspension of the 12% VAT on petroleum products.[12] DOF must balance relief measures against a deficit risk: GDP growth could slow to 3.5–4% under a worst-case $200/barrel scenario for six months.[12]
Key Watch Items
Fuel Excise Suspension Active Petroleum VAT Relief (Senate) [12] GDP Risk: 3.5–4% at $200/bbl [12] Peso Pressure — Safe-Haven USD [12]
CxO Action
Watch DOF closely — VAT relief may arrive faster than budgets have assumed. If petroleum VAT suspension passes, it is immediate operating cost relief. Simultaneously, a worsening fiscal deficit in H2 2026 may trigger tighter government procurement budgets. Businesses with government contracts should accelerate project completion and billing timelines now — not in Q3.
DBM  ·  Fiscal Engine
Dept. of Budget & Management
₱2.48T [3] Unreleased — Dry Powder
Mandate under EO 110
The fiscal enabler of the energy emergency response. Sits on the UPLIFT Committee and identifies or authorizes funding sources, with EO 110 directing that all measures be financed from existing agency appropriations and other sources DBM may subsequently designate — allowing rapid implementation without waiting for new appropriations.[6] As of end-February 2026, the government has released ₱4.31 trillion (66.1%) of the total 2026 budget.[3]
Key Numbers
₱6.793T Total 2026 Budget [1] ₱4.31T Released (Feb) [3] 66.1% Execution Rate [3] Down from 70.6% in 2025 [3]
CxO Action
₱2.48 trillion in unspent budget is the government's dry powder — EO 110 is the accelerant.[3] If your business is a government supplier, contractor, or service provider in energy, logistics, or essential goods, your procurement pipeline may accelerate significantly in Q2 2026. Prepare capacity and financing now for a faster payment cycle than you budgeted for the year.
PNP  ·  Enforcement Arm
Philippine National Police
₱170B+ Criminal Exposure Active
Mandate under EO 110
Acts as the enforcement arm of the energy emergency — pursuing hoarding, profiteering, and supply manipulation while securing critical fuel and supply facilities and routes to ensure that emergency measures are carried out and public order is maintained.[6]
Enforcement Scope
Anti-Hoarding Operations Price Manipulation Enforcement Critical Facility Security Supply Route Protection
CxO Action — Legal Risk
This is the teeth of the order — criminal exposure is active. Fuel dealers, distributors, and traders who manipulate pricing or artificially restrict supply face PNP enforcement action.[6] For all businesses passing through legitimate cost increases: document everything — purchase orders, supplier invoices, landed cost computations, pricing decisions with dated board approvals. Your paper trail is your legal shield.
Macro Risk Watch

The Numbers That Keep CFOs Awake

Scenario Intelligence — Plan For These Now
GDP Downside: Economic managers warn GDP growth could slow to 3.5–4% in a worst-case scenario of $200 per barrel sustained for six months.[12] Build a 3.5% GDP growth scenario into your 2026 revenue models now.
Triple Whammy Risk: Simultaneous stagflation, inflation, and a budget deficit — with reduced government spending stacking on consumer price pressure — could deliver a "triple whammy" impact on the domestic economy.[12] Model demand compression of 15–25% in discretionary categories.
Diesel Shock: Diesel prices are expected to spike above ₱130/liter and gasoline above ₱100/liter in the near term.[5] Logistics-heavy businesses with unhedged fuel exposure must reprice cost models immediately — before clients lock in contracts.
OFW Remittance Risk: The US-Israel war on Iran that forced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered uncertainty in global energy markets and direct danger for the 2M+ OFWs in the Middle East.[12] Stress-test for a 20–40% reduction in Middle East remittance flows over 6–12 months.
Peso Pressure: President Marcos acknowledged the government can only defend the peso to a limited extent as the US dollar is perceived as a safe-haven currency.[12] Review USD-denominated cost hedging positions and tighten forex exposure now.
Your 90-Day Playbook

What CxOs Do Next

This Week — Days 1–7
Immediate Triage
Audit full fuel exposure — logistics, generators, transport, raw material inputs. Quantify the peso number.
Lock in volume fuel supply contracts before DOE emergency procurement tightens the market.[6]
Document all pricing decisions with purchase orders and dated invoices — DTI and PNP enforcement is active.[5]
Engage your DTI and DA regional offices. Register for MSME support programs before the queue fills.[5]
30–90 Days
Positioning Plays
Rerun unit economics with fuel 20–30% higher. Identify where margins break before your board asks.
Renegotiate logistics contracts. Insert escalation clauses before 3PLs come to you for surcharges.
Submit DA proposals for underspent cold storage and farm-to-market road programs — ₱70B unreleased.[3]
Accelerate government contract billing. DBM may tighten procurement budgets if deficit worsens.[12]
90 Days+ — Strategic Horizon
The Long Game
Solar + battery storage just became a boardroom conversation. Move owned-facility solar projects from plan to procurement.
Fleet electrification: align EV transitions with DOTr's clean mobility mandate and emergency-backed programs.[6]
Position as a private sector UPLIFT partner — step forward with solutions now, build access competitors won't have.
Scenario-plan a 12-month energy emergency with no early resolution — this order runs until March 2027.[2]
Signals to Watch
Monitor These Triggers
Senate VAT suspension on petroleum — if passed, immediate operating cost relief across all sectors.[12]
DOE fuel allocation orders — priority sectors get supply, others scramble. Know which list you're on.[6]
UPLIFT Committee decisions — chaired by the President, moves fast. Track the Official Gazette.[2]
DMW repatriation announcements — leading indicator of OFW remittance compression.[6]
Hormuz de-escalation signals — any easing will move oil markets faster than government policy can respond.
Mack's Signal
Executive Director's Note
EO 110 is a mirror. It reflects exactly how prepared — or unprepared — the Philippine enterprise ecosystem is for systemic shocks. The businesses that read this as a fuel price story will get caught. The ones who read it as a 12-month policy opening — for procurement priority, subsidy access, permit fast-tracking, clean energy positioning, and government partnership — will exit this emergency structurally stronger than they entered it.

The ₱2.48 trillion sitting unreleased in the national budget is not a government inefficiency.[3] It is a window. EO 110 just opened it wider. The question is not whether the money will move. It will. The question is whether your business is positioned to be in its path — or in its wake.

Know your agencies. Know their mandates. Know their budget lines. Move in the next 30 days.
MC
Mack Comandante
Founder-CEO, Exoasia  ·  Executive Director, GACPh  ·  March 27, 2026
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Sources & References
[1]Asian Journal News / GMA News — "Marcos signs ₱6.793-trillion national budget, the largest in Philippine history," January 5, 2026. asianjournal.com
[2]Philippine News Agency / Inquirer — "PBBM declares state of national energy emergency amid global supply risks," March 24–25, 2026. pna.gov.ph
[3]Manila Bulletin — "Public works, agriculture bottlenecks slow national budget releases at end-February," March 23, 2026. mb.com.ph
[4]Rappler / Power Philippines — "DOE seeks P3.8 billion budget for 2026, eyes 100% electrification," September 2, 2025. rappler.com
[5]GMA News Online — "Marcos declares state of national energy emergency," March 24, 2026. gmanetwork.com
[6]The Local Government Code Reviewer — "Powering Through Crisis: Explaining Executive Order No. 110," March 25, 2026. revieweronlocalgovernance.wordpress.com
[7]Philstar / CPBRD — "Government hikes 2026 budget for transport, education, agriculture," July 8, 2025 & CPBRD Dimensions of Proposed National Budget FY 2026. philstar.com
[8]DBM — "Budget para sa Bansang Masagana: PBBM administration allocates P256.5 billion for Agriculture sector in 2026." dbm.gov.ph
[9]TopGear.com.ph — "Explainer: What does 'State of National Energy Emergency' mean?" March 25, 2026. topgear.com.ph
[10]Congress CPBRD — "DTI Agency Budget Notes FY 2026." congress.hrep.online
[11]Congress CPBRD — "DSWD Agency Budget Notes FY 2026." congress.hrep.online
[12]Philstar — "State of national energy emergency declared," March 25, 2026. philstar.com
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