Abbey M.

Iran has declared that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to all countries except the United States and its allies, as Washington continues to seek international support for securing the critical shipping lane.

Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said only vessels from the US, Israel, and their allies are being denied passage through the strait. He added that several countries have already directly coordinated with Iran and have been granted passage by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, including China and India.

The declaration came as US President Donald Trump called on other nations to send warships to help keep the strait open for free navigation. Among the countries Trump is counting on are China, France, South Korea, Japan, and the United Kingdom. He noted that China, in particular, relies heavily on the Strait of Hormuz, sourcing around 90 percent of its oil through the waterway.

Trump also appealed to NATO member states, saying the request is minor compared to the military support the US has provided to the alliance, particularly in defending Ukraine.

However, as of this writing, no country has given a positive response to Trump's call.

French President Emmanuel Macron said he has spoken with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to push for an end to the conflict. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said that as long as Iran is not ready for a diplomatic solution, the international community can only wait. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed he has spoken with Trump, though no details of their discussion have been disclosed.

US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright expressed frustration, saying other world leaders do not appear to see the threat posed by Iran the same way Trump does.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has implemented a fare increase for provincial air-conditioned buses effective Saturday, March 14.

The agency said an additional 35 centavos per kilometer has been added to the existing rate of P2.45 per kilometer for air-conditioned provincial buses.

The LTFRB clarified that the 20-percent discount for vulnerable sectors, including students and senior citizens, remains in place. The base fare for ordinary buses is set at P588.

The agency also reminded the public to expect slight changes in fare amounts depending on the distance traveled and the type of bus.

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Senator Paolo "Bam" Aquino IV stressed on Monday, March 16, the need for better and immediate reporting of bullying cases in schools amid data showing that incidents are being underreported, with zero cases historically cited as a sign of good performance.

The issue was raised during the hearing of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, where data from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) showed that bullying cases remain underreported as the Department of Education (DepEd) faces a severe lack of guidance counselors in public schools.

"If bullying is penalized, there are three possible sanctions: reprimand, suspension, and expulsion. If cases are underreported, then the bullies also face no penalty. If it is not reported, there will be no consequences for them," Aquino said.

The senator, who chairs the panel, noted that the prevalence of bullying has earned the Philippines the tag of "Bullying Capital of the World." According to the Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM), around 50% of Grade 5 students in the Philippines experienced bullying at least once a month as of 2024. Data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) further shows that one in three Filipino students report experiencing bullying in school, with about 43 percent of girls and 53 percent of boys reporting repeated incidents within a month.

Aquino also cited findings from EDCOM linking bullying to lower literacy levels, poorer academic performance, and higher rates of absenteeism, all of which can lead to lasting trauma among students.

A viral bullying incident in Narvacan, Ilocos Sur was also raised during the hearing, in which a female student was pushed, struck with a backpack, kicked, and punched in the head until she was left crying. The incident reportedly occurred during lunch break and was only discovered three days after it happened, when footage spread on social media.

The Department of Education Region 1 said it is now studying the possible filing of administrative cases against the school head and teachers involved. The regional director noted the negligence of school officials, citing their policy that a bullying case must be reported at least three hours after discovery.

Senator Erwin Tulfo called on DepEd and relevant authorities, including the police and local social welfare offices, to stop relying on reactionary measures and instead adopt a proactive approach to curbing school bullying. He also pointed out that under the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Anti-Bullying Law, a complaint is required before an investigation can begin, and pushed for an easier, anonymous reporting system accessible to students.

Atty. Razzel Requesto, Officer-in-Charge of DepEd's Bureau of Learner Support Services-Youth Formation Division, clarified that existing IRR provisions allow bystander reports and permit teachers to initiate preliminary fact-finding steps without waiting for a formal complaint. She also said that over the past five months, DepEd has observed an increasing trend in bullying reports following a new department order encouraging disclosure.

Senator Raffy Tulfo, meanwhile, made several recommendations to strengthen the implementation of the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013. These include stricter penalties for schools that fail to act, installation of CCTV cameras in all classrooms, mandatory training and seminars for teachers and parents, mandatory counseling and psychological support, strengthening of Good Manners and Right Conduct (GMRC) education, increased school security through a Memorandum of Agreement between DepEd and the Department of the Interior and Local Government for roving police officers, and an effective anonymous reporting system for students.

Senator Win Gatchalian also flagged the shortage of guidance counselors nationwide and recommended that administrative sanctions be imposed on schools without functional Child Protection Committees. He also cited CCTV cameras in common areas and school entrances as a proven deterrent, noting that schools with cameras showed significantly lower bullying incidents.

For 2026, the government has allocated Php2.9 billion for a school-based mental health program and an additional Php2 billion to hire 10,000 school counselor associates nationwide.

Aquino closed by warning that if the Philippines remains the bullying capital by next year, it would mean the government has failed its children, and called for all preventive measures to be scaled up without delay.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announces the unilateral release of national and private sector oil reserves as the Strait of Hormuz crisis continues to rattle global energy markets.

Japan will release approximately 80 million barrels of oil from its strategic reserves in response to the ongoing war in the Middle East, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced on Wednesday, March 11. 

The release is set to begin as early as March 16 and will draw from two sources: the equivalent of 15 days worth of oil consumption from private sector stocks, and one month worth from national reserves.

Japan's move comes as the International Energy Agency (IEA) and its 32 member countries agreed to the largest coordinated emergency oil release in the agency's history — a combined 400 million barrels to counter the supply disruptions caused by the conflict. The decision followed an extraordinary IEA meeting convened to assess market conditions amid the ongoing war.

The Middle East conflict, which began on February 28, has severely disrupted oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which roughly 20 million barrels of crude oil and oil products pass daily, approximately 25 percent of the world's seaborne oil trade. Export volumes through the strait have dropped to less than 10 percent of pre-conflict levels, according to the IEA.

Japan is particularly exposed to the crisis. The country sources roughly 80 to 90 percent of its crude oil imports from the Gulf, with 70 percent transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Despite holding strategic reserves equivalent to 254 days of total consumption, the third-largest stockpile in the world, prolonged hostilities risk eroding those reserves and derailing the government's efforts to bring down inflation.

The government also announced subsidies for petroleum products to keep domestic gasoline prices at around 170 yen per liter.

Global oil prices have swung sharply since the conflict began, with Brent crude surging past $100 per barrel following the IEA announcement, a sign that markets remain skeptical that the reserve releases alone can offset the massive supply shock. Analysts warn that prices could climb further to between $120 and $150 per barrel if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed for an extended period.

Japan is the latest country to take emergency energy measures. South Korea has introduced price controls, Taiwan is securing additional liquefied natural gas shipments, and the Philippines has adopted a four-day workweek to reduce fuel consumption.

MANILA — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s working visit to New York City from March 8 to 11 yielded a major job-generating investment for the Philippines, with a US-based medical glove manufacturer pledging to build a production facility that could employ more than 2,000 Filipinos.

Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro briefed reporters on the outcomes of the visit, which centered on high-level engagements at the United Nations alongside targeted meetings with American investors.

On the sidelines of his UN schedule, Marcos met with officials of US Medical Glove Company (USMGC), a Harvard, Illinois-based manufacturer of nitrile and polyisoprene surgical and exam gloves. The company has committed an initial investment of $200 million to construct a manufacturing facility in the Philippines.

USMGC had already sent representatives to the Philippines to begin preparations, with a local partner already identified. The company also intends to expand operations beyond the initial phase once the first plant is up and running.

The facility is expected to ensure a stable domestic supply of medical gloves for healthcare workers, the military, and other sectors. The government said it remains open to further opportunities should the manufacturing venture perform well.

USMGC is the leading American manufacturer of nitrile and polyisoprene surgical and exam gloves, operating out of a 1.8-million-square-foot facility and producing over 2 billion gloves annually. The company uses energy-efficient machines and recycles 100 percent of its production water.

The business meetings were part of a wider agenda. Marcos also addressed world leaders at the UN General Assembly, stressing the importance of the rule of law, multilateralism, and the peaceful settlement of disputes. He spoke at the 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women and held a bilateral meeting with UN Secretary-General António Guterres. The Philippines' bid for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council for the term 2027–2028 was likewise a key focus of the trip.

Marcos arrived back in Manila on the night of March 11, 2026.