Oil Prices SOAR—Triggers National Energy Emergency

An oil rig in the ocean with a backdrop of mountains during sunset

The Philippines just declared a national energy emergency because America’s war with Iran is strangling global fuel supplies, proving once again that endless Middle East conflicts don’t make us safer—they make life more expensive and chaotic for everyone.

Story Snapshot

President Marcos issued Executive Order No. 110 on March 24, 2026, declaring a one-year national energy emergency triggered by the US-Israel offensive against Iran that began February 28
Philippines relies on Middle East for 26% of energy supplies worth $16 billion annually, leaving the nation vulnerable as oil prices spike above $100 per barrel
Emergency powers authorize advance fuel payments, anti-hoarding enforcement, and creation of UPLIFT committee to monitor distribution of fuel, food, and medicines
Country holds only 45 days of fuel reserves while disruptions at the Strait of Hormuz threaten supplies, forcing first-in-the-world emergency declaration over Middle East war fallout

War’s Hidden Price Tag Hits Asia

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order No. 110 declaring a national energy emergency effective for one year, directly citing threats from the escalating Middle East conflict to global oil markets. Energy Secretary Sharon Garin reported the Philippines maintains just 45 days of fuel stocks as supply chains face disruption from the US-Israel joint offensive on Iran that launched February 28. The declaration makes the Philippines the first nation to invoke emergency energy powers in response to this war, exposing how American military adventures abroad create real hardships for allies dependent on stable fuel supplies.

Dependence Creates Vulnerability

The Philippines imports approximately 26 percent of its energy supplies from the Middle East, totaling roughly $16 billion in petroleum products during 2024 alone. As a net importer with no significant domestic oil production, the nation faces chronic vulnerability to price spikes and supply disruptions originating thousands of miles away in conflict zones like the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices surged past $100 per barrel as tensions escalated, threatening to drain reserves and trigger shortages across transportation, agriculture, and healthcare sectors that depend on affordable diesel and gasoline to function normally.

Government Expands Control Under Crisis Powers

Executive Order No. 110 establishes sweeping executive authority through the UPLIFT Committee, an inter-agency body including Energy, Transport, Social Welfare, Agriculture, Finance, and Budget departments. The committee monitors and allocates fuel, food, medicines, and other essentials while enforcing measures against hoarding and price manipulation. Marcos’ order authorizes advance payments to suppliers to secure faster deliveries and permits accelerated approval of energy infrastructure projects. This centralized “whole-of-government” approach consolidates significant control over private fuel importers and distributors, raising concerns about government overreach during prolonged emergencies that could extend beyond genuine crisis conditions.

Middle East Entanglements Spread Costs Worldwide

The US-Israel offensive against Iran has reportedly caused over 1,340 deaths since late February, including Iran’s Supreme Leader, destabilizing the region and choking critical shipping lanes. For ordinary Filipinos—and Americans feeling pain at the pump—this conflict delivers no tangible security benefit while driving energy costs skyward and forcing governments to impose emergency controls. The Philippines’ declaration underscores a bitter reality: regime change wars drain resources, inflate prices, and create dependencies that empower governments to expand authority over citizens’ daily lives. Promises to avoid new wars ring hollow when allies scramble for fuel and families struggle with costs tied directly to conflicts that serve narrow interests, not national security or prosperity.

As the one-year emergency takes effect, the UPLIFT framework will distribute subsidies to transportation, agriculture, and small businesses while attempting to prevent profiteering. Whether these measures shield Filipinos from economic pain or simply mask the consequences of a war that never should have started remains to be seen. What’s clear is that entanglement in Middle East conflicts extracts a steep price far beyond the battlefield—one measured in fuel shortages, emergency decrees, and the erosion of economic freedom as governments seize control to manage crises spawned by foreign interventions.