Nelson Morales

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. joins leaders of the Catholic Church and members of the diplomatic community at the reception commemorating the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the Holy See at the Ayuntamiento de Manila in Intramuros on April 8, 2026. 
The milestone celebration highlighted more than seven decades of engagement since the formal establishment of ties on April 8, 1951, and underscored continued collaboration in promoting peace and social development.  Presidential Communications Office

Article (news)

Marcos appeals for Asia’s ‘coordinated, unified’ response on fuel crisis

Harlene Delgado

ABS-CBN News

MANILA -- President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged its Asian neighbors for a ‘coordinated, unified’ response on the energy crisis brought about by the Middle East conflict triggered by US-Israel strikes against Iran.During his intervention at the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) Plus Online Summit on Wednesday, April 15, Marcos took note of the government’s responses to cushion the impact of the crisis, such as the declaration of a State of National Energy Emergency and the activation of the Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) program.However, Marcos said these necessary measures are “not sufficient on their own”.“What this crisis has confirmed is a structural truth: no single country in Asia can insulate itself from supply chain shocks of this scale by acting alone. The times call for a coordinated, unified response,” he added.The AZEC is a ‘platform for cooperation’ towards carbon neutrality and net-zero emissions in the Asia region, initiated by Japan with partner countries Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.Marcos also underscored that the country is pursuing a ‘long-term supply resilience’ such as a risk-calibrated procurement strategy that “diversifies oil sourcing away from heavy dependence on Middle Eastern routes and chokepoints.”He added that the country is ‘reforming’ its Minimum Inventory Requirements by proposing to raise obligatory stockholding for petroleum products from 15 to 30 days and from 7 to 21 days for LPG.“We are also accelerating the development of a domestic Strategic Petroleum Reserve – building a government-controlled physical buffer that can absorb shocks when commercial markets fail,” he added.However, the chief executive pointed out that national measures have limits.“Our vulnerabilities are shared, and therefore so must our responses be,” he said, noting that Asia’s oil supply chains are ‘deeply interconnected.’Marcos urged other member-countries to activate and implement the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Petroleum Security (APSA) for coordinated emergency responses, emergency supply sharing, and joint oil stockpiling.“First, we call for the early activation and implementation of the APSA Coordinated Emergency Response Mechanism. The mechanism exists, and it should be tested now, while the crisis is live and the lessons are immediate,” he said, adding that the Philippines is willing to host or co-chair the first full APSA emergency simulation exercise.Such a mechanism provides member-states with the ability to supply up to 10 percent of a distressed country’s normal domestic requirement on a voluntary and commercial basis, according to Marcos.“This mechanism, once tested and activated regularly, could serve as a meaningful buffer for smaller economies during exactly the kind of disruption that we are experiencing today,” he added.The Philippine president also proposed that the summit endorse a regional study on joint oil stockpiling, through developing models identified by the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA).“Let us provide them the political commitment to move these from research to negotiation to implementation,” Marcos Jr. told other heads of state.He also suggested defining a ‘mutual recognition mechanism’ of emergency fuel allocation protocols.“When a member is in distress, the administrative pathways for receiving assistance have already been clearly established and time is not lost to procedural uncertainty,” he expounded.“The energy disruptions of 2026 are testing Asia’s resilience. However, I believe they are also creating an opportunity for us to build the regional energy security architecture that our region has long needed,” Marcos Jr. stated.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged its Asian neighbors for a ‘coordinated, unified’ response on the energy crisis brought about by the Middle East conflict.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged its Asian neighbors for a ‘coordinated, unified’ response on the energy crisis brought about by the Middle East conflict.