Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday urged Filipinos and government leaders to adopt a stronger culture of preparation, warning that repeated lapses in planning continue to leave the country exposed to rising costs and global disruptions.
Speaking during his “CIA 365 with Kuya Alan” Facebook Live on April 8, Cayetano said preparation must go hand in hand with purpose and planning, especially as external pressures such as oil supply shocks begin to affect the country.
“Ang problema kasi sa walang preparation, malilimit ang [ating] options,” he said.
The senator pointed to longstanding gaps in the country’s energy and infrastructure planning, citing the absence of a strategic oil stockpile and delays in pursuing energy opportunities such as joint exploration.
“Dahil wala tayong preparation, for example sa strategic stockpile ng oil, we’re at the mercy of the world market at sa mga presyo at supply ngayon,” he said.
Cayetano noted how missed opportunities in areas such as electric vehicles and right-of-way planning have made current challenges more difficult and costly to address.
While acknowledging that mistakes are inevitable, the senator said repeatedly making the same errors reflects a failure to learn, linking the idea to a deeper understanding of repentance.
“When we make a mistake, we learn from it… Repentance means ‘Mali ang pag-iisip ko, babaguhin ko [ito],’” he said.
Cayetano emphasized that preparation applies not only to national policy but also to personal decisions, such as setting aside resources for future needs instead of spending everything in the present.
Drawing from past experience, Cayetano recalled pushing for tourism-related funding under Bayanihan 2 to help generate jobs, improve infrastructure, and retrain workers. He said early preparation could have helped the country recover faster alongside its regional neighbors.
He reiterated the importance of a more coordinated and forward-looking government response, citing ongoing efforts under the Senate’s proposed crisis response mechanism.
“Iyon talaga ang intention: na maging mas comprehensive ang approach, mas proactive, and then to not to criticize but to get everyone together,” he said.