Jonathan Frederic De Santos

In this screen grab obtained on February 28, 2026 from video released by the US Central Command on their X account @CENTCOM shows the Arleigh Burke class guided-missile-destroyer, USS Spruance (DDG 111), firing Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles in support of Operation Epic Fury, from an undisclosed location on February 28, 2026.

Article (news)

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17744198901951774419884508.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>In this screen grab obtained on February 28, 2026 from video released by the US Central Command on their X account @CENTCOM shows the Arleigh Burke class guided-missile-destroyer, USS Spruance (DDG 111), firing Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles in support of Operation Epic Fury, from an undisclosed location on February 28, 2026. </div>MANILA (UPDATED) — The Philippines is “watching, waiting, hoping and praying” that war in the Gulf region that the US and Israel started with Iran and that has been choking oil supply chains will end soon, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Tuesday.Marcos Jr. was commenting on whether the country supports America&#x27;s and Israel&#x27;s war that has become a regional conflict impacting other Gulf states.“Our foreign policy is very, very simple. It&#x27;s peace and the national interest. That&#x27;s it,” Marcos Jr. told Bloomberg in an interview in Malacañang, adding “war is never in the national interest&quot; of the Philippines.“We just are hoping that this end soon and that whatever recalibration will be done as quickly as possible so we can get back to work. And that&#x27;s really where the Philippines is,” he said.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/25/marcos-very-serious-restructuring-of-relations-with-china-certainly-going-to-happen-1300">Marcos: ‘Very serious restructuring’ of relations with China ‘certainly going to happen’ </a></div>Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae reportedly had a 20-minute phone call with Marcos Jr. on Tuesday to explain the “importance of coordinating and cooperating with the international community to ensure the early de-escalation of the situation,” according to information from Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.“The two leaders concurred on closely working together toward the early de-escalation of the situation,” the ministry said, noting that the conversation was anchored on “the urgent priority of securing safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.”<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/3/25/trump-sends-peace-plan-as-iran-opens-to-non-hostile-oil-vessels-0915">Trump sends peace plan as Iran opens to &#x27;non-hostile&#x27; oil vessels </a></div>Japan noted that Marcos “explained the position and efforts of the Philippines,” but did not give further details on what the Filipino leader said.Neither Malacañang nor the Department of Foreign Affairs have indicated whether the Philippines will sign the joint statement.<div> </div><div>SENATORS WELCOME EMERGENCY DECLARATION</div>Senators on Wednesday welcomed Marcos Jr.&#x27;s declaration of a state of national emergency because of the oil price hikes, with some calling it overdue.Sen. Loren Legarda called it an “overdue recognition” of what the public has been experiencing and saying and would signal a shift from a&quot; business-as-usual&quot; approach.She added that there should be swift, planned action that are effective for the welfare of Filipinos. Some of her proposals include removing the value-added tax on basic commodities and on oil. “I am also seriously considering the filing of a new Bayanihan law, or a similar measure, that will equip the government with the necessary but time-bound tools to respond to the current energy crisis in a unified, decisive, and comprehensive manner,&quot; she also said, referring to emergency powers that Congress granted then President Rodrigo Duterte during the COVID-19 pandemic.Senate Deputy Majority Leader Risa Hontiveros also welcomed the declaration, but pointed out the there should be enough and readily-available aid for Filipinos affected by the crisis.Hontiveros called on Malacañang to support her bill pushing for a P52.8-billion supplemental budget for oil crisis response, which may be given to drivers, farmers, fishermen, and used for the repatriation and reintegration of Overseas Filipino Workers.“Partikular na dapat bantayan ang profiteering at manipulasyon sa presyo sa hanay ng power plant operators, lalo na ngayong naka-amba na ang taas singil sa kuryente,&quot; she also said.(We have to be on guard particularly against profiteering and price manipulation by power plant operators, especially with a looming increase in power rates)Sen. Bam Aquino meanwhile said he believes the country needs a broader declaration state of national emergency, which would allow government to impose price controls on essential goods and basic commodities.He also called on government to use its more than P200 billion in available funds to give aid.&quot;Kung tutulong na rin tayo, gawin natin nang maayos, gawin nating komprehensibo, gawin nating mabilis at tuloy-tuloy,&quot; he said. (If we are going to help, let us do it correctly, comprehensively. We need to do it quickly and continuously)Sen. Imee Marcos, the president’s sister, asked if the government actually has a plan beyond giving aid. &quot;Piecemeal ayuda is a band-aid. The solution is a realistic, wide-ranging and strategic plan for the survival of every Filipino through this global crisis,” she said. Marcos said the Philippines should be negotiating with its neighbors in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to procure oil imports. She also suggested mobilizing state institutions like the Philippine National Oil Company for long-term solutions.

“We just are hoping that this end soon and that whatever recalibration will be done as quickly as possible so we can get back to work. And that's really where the Philippines is,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said.

“We just are hoping that this end soon and that whatever recalibration will be done as quickly as possible so we can get back to work. And that's really where the Philippines is,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said.

Marcos: PH ‘watching, waiting, hoping’ for US, Israel war on Iran to end

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Marcos: PH ‘watching, waiting, hoping’ for US, Israel war on Iran to end

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 25, 2026 02:26 PM PHT

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Updated March 25, 2026 05:51 PM PHT

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Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Middle East

West Asia

United States

Israel

Iran

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