MANILA — Facing the risk of a fuel supply disruption amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has ordered immediate diplomatic engagement with Iran to secure the safe passage of Philippine-bound oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, Malacañang said Tuesday.
The directive underscores growing concern within the government over the country’s vulnerability as a net importer of petroleum, with global supply routes increasingly under threat due to geopolitical conflict in the Middle East.
Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), led by Secretary Tess Lazaro, has been tasked to open talks with Iranian officials to ensure that oil tankers bound for the Philippines can pass safely through the critical chokepoint.
“Ipinag-utos na ng Pangulo kay Secretary Tess Lazaro ng DFA na makipag-usap sa Ambassador ng Iran upang paraanin sa Strait of Hormuz ang mga PH-bound oil tanker ships,” Castro said in a media briefing at Malacañang Palace.
The move comes on the heels of President Marcos’ declaration of a state of national emergency last week, aimed at mitigating the potential impact of supply disruptions and stabilizing the country’s energy sector.
In Executive Order (EO) 110 signed on March 24, Marcos cited escalating tensions in the Middle East as a direct threat to global oil production and transportation — developments that could severely affect the Philippines’ fuel supply chain.
Iran’s recent restriction of access to the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world’s most vital oil transit routes — has heightened fears of a supply bottleneck, especially following intensifying conflict involving the United States.
According to EO 110, any disruption in key global supply routes, including the Strait of Hormuz, could tighten fuel availability and trigger price volatility, posing serious risks to the country’s energy security./PN
