The ongoing conflict in the Middle East is already affecting overseas Filipino workers, petroleum and energy prices, food costs, transport, and displacing millions, Senator Loren Legarda warned on Tuesday, March 24, 2026.
During the organizational meeting of the Proactive Response and Oversight for Timely and Effective Crisis Strategy (PROTECT) Committee, Legarda stressed the need for government agencies to act with urgency.
“Until we define it as a crisis, we will not act in record time to save our people. If we do not admit that there is a crisis in the Middle East affecting our OFWs and their families, affecting the prices of our petroleum products, energy, food prices, transport and displacing millions of Filipinos, the agencies will not act with urgency,” she said.
Legarda also urged officials to identify continuing appropriations in the 2025 General Appropriations Act to fund relief programs and asked the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) to study the effects of removing the 12 percent Value-Added Tax (VAT) on noodles, local canned goods, and over-the-counter medicine.
She further challenged agencies to ensure that their plans translate into tangible results for Filipino families.
Meanwhile, President Marcos has ordered the creation of a crisis committee to monitor and address the effects of the conflict.
Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said the panel’s primary focus is maintaining a stable oil supply and protecting consumers, emphasizing that there is currently no oil crisis in the Philippines.
Energy Secretary Sharon Garin confirmed that supply remains sufficient, noting that the recent price hikes reflect developments in the Middle East rather than domestic shortages.
