Abbey M.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has called on nations across Asia to unite in addressing the ongoing oil crisis, while expressing full support for the immediate activation of the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Petroleum Security's emergency response mechanism.

Marcos said the Philippines is facing the threat of rising prices of goods and services following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a development he raised during the Asia Zero Emission Community Plus Online Summit. The President said the country has been directly affected by the disruption of global oil supply chains.

"In the weeks following the Hormuz closure, the Philippines witnessed sharp increases in diesel and LPG prices. Our economy, which grew by 4.4 percent in 2025 and remains on a steady upward trajectory, is now facing imported inflation that threatens the welfare of our most vulnerable households," Marcos said.

The President stressed that the oil crisis is not a challenge the Philippines faces alone, warning that no nation in Asia is shielded from the effects of the Middle East conflict. Marcos called for a unified regional response, saying no single country can address supply chain shocks of this scale by acting alone.

"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 said.

Marcos said the Philippine government has already taken steps to cushion the impact of rising petroleum prices, including the declaration of a State of National Energy Emergency and the rollout of the Uplift Program. However, the President said these measures are not yet enough.

Marcos called for the immediate implementation of the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Petroleum Security or APSA, which covers fuel supply sharing and joint oil stockpiling among member states. The President said the Philippines is fully committed to its operationalization.

"The enhanced APSA, endorsed at last October's ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, establishes the architecture for coordinated emergency responses, emergency supply sharing, and, critically, joint oil stockpiling. The Philippines fully supports its operationalization and we will be an active participant in its implementation," Marcos said.

The Philippines currently serves as ASEAN Chair this year.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. personally led the rollout of the government's "Biyayang Bigas" program on Thursday, April 16, distributing 10 kilograms of free rice to workers and low-income residents in Manila as the country continues to grapple with rising petroleum and living costs.

The six-month initiative provides 10 kilos of free rice to 80,000 families, with Manila serving as the first city to implement the program before its nationwide expansion.

During the distribution, President Marcos explained the rationale behind the program and how local governments are being empowered to manage it.

"Ang programang ito ay magbibigay nitong 10 kilo na bigas, anim na beses sa isang taon. At patuloy lang ating binibigay. Binigay na po natin sa ating mga local government para naman ay mabilis. At alam ng local government kasi kung minsan 'yung listahan ng ating mga — dito sa national government, sa mga ahensiya, kung minsan luma na. Sino ba talaga 'yung mga nangangailangan? Sino ba 'yung mga talagang mahihirap na walang makain? Kung minsan 'yung listahan namin medyo nahuhuli," Marcos said.

("This program will provide 10 kilos of rice, six times a year. And we will keep giving. We have already turned it over to the local governments so distribution can be faster. The local governments know better — because sometimes the lists we have at the national level, in the agencies, are already outdated. Who really needs it? Who are the truly poor who have nothing to eat? Sometimes our lists fall behind.")

Not only workers will benefit from the rice distribution, but also poor families. 

In Manila, around 80,000 individuals are expected to receive free rice from the government. 

The funds allocated for this program come from the Local Government Support Fund or LGSF, sourced from the national government.

Mobile wallet and finance app GCash has extended its zero transfer fee promo for Filipinos sending money to the Middle East until April 30 of this year.

Under the extended offer, no transaction fees will be charged and there is no minimum transfer amount required for remittances to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman.

The move was made as a form of relief for Filipinos amid the ongoing tensions in the Middle East.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has no official activities lined up this week, opting instead to spend the long holiday in his home province.

The President said he will be staying in Ilocos Norte for a few days before returning to Manila by the weekend.

"Holy week, I will spend a few days in Ilocos Norte and I will be back in Manila by the weekend. Alright," Marcos said.

The Department of Energy (DOE) has assured the public that the country's petroleum reserves have not only replaced last week's consumed supply but have also increased, bringing the nation's total oil supply to 50 days as of March 27.

Energy Secretary Sharon Garin made the announcement following the arrival of 142,000 barrels of petroleum products from Japan on March 26. She also confirmed that additional crude oil orders have been secured, including 300,000 barrels from Malaysia and Singapore at the start of April, another 300,000 barrels from India in mid-May, and a further 300,000 barrels from Oman expected by the end of April.

Under normal circumstances, the DOE requires oil companies to maintain a minimum reserve of 15 days' worth of supply, while refiners are required to hold at least 30 days. This buffer is designed to give companies enough time to repurchase oil from the global market. Secretary Garin noted, however, that the country currently has nearly two months of lead time for replenishment.

"The country's total expected available days supply across all types increased from 45 days to 50.94 days. So, ito ang average natin. We added 6 more days despite the fact that we still consume. So, we consume and then we add. What this tells us is clear, that we have supply," Garin said.

["The country's total expected available days supply across all types increased from 45 days to 50.94 days. So, that is our average. We added 6 more days despite the fact that we still consume. So, we consume and then we add. What this tells us is clear, that we have supply."]

Despite the encouraging figures, the DOE continues to urge the public to practice fuel conservation to prevent the country's supply from depleting quickly, particularly amid the ongoing oil supply crisis caused by tensions in the Middle East.

"It is more for para extra careful tayo because we don't know what the war would, where it is going, kung matatapos ba 'yan, or kung tatagal ba siya, or kakalma na 'yong gyera or mag-e-escalate pa. So, as a country, this is our major appeal to our fellow Filipinos that we support each other. Sama-sama tayo and let's try to be as — magtipid tayo sa electricity at fuel para hindi po affected po ang ekonomiya natin," Garin added.

["It is more for us to be extra careful because we don't know where the war is going — whether it will end, whether it will drag on, whether things will calm down or escalate further. So, as a country, this is our major appeal to our fellow Filipinos: that we support each other. Let us stand together and try to conserve electricity and fuel so that our economy will not be affected."]