President Marcos said the Philippines cannot call for a ceasefire since it is not a party to the conflict, but it wants an end to the war, which erupted after the United States and Israel launched strikes in Iran last Saturday, Feb. 28.

President Marcos leads a special Cabinet meeting in Malacañang on Tuesday, March 3, 2026 to tackle the situation in the Middle East.

President Marcos is hoping for a ceasefire in the Middle East as concerns mount over further disruptions in international supply chains and in global security as the effects of the United States-Israel attacks on Iran continue to spread.

Speaking to Palace reporters on Tuesday, March 3, Marcos said the Philippines cannot call for a ceasefire since it is not a party to the conflict, but it wants an end to the war, which erupted after the US and Israel launched strikes in Iran last Saturday, Feb. 28.

“We are only involved tangentially, if you want to call it that, because of our people who are there. So, we have expressed support for the countries that have come under attack and we have made our feelings known that we hope that this crisis ends as quickly as possible,” the President said in a hastily called press briefing after a special Cabinet meeting at Malacañang.

“But let me do it now. If it will help, let’s hope that there is a ceasefire, and we, the Philippines, ask all parties to show restraint and to bring this to a close as quickly as possible,” he added.

Marcos said the Philippines continues to seek assistance especially from its friends in the region to ensure the safety of Filipinos in the Middle East. Some 2.5 million Filipinos live or work in the region.

At the same press briefing, Marcos said a total of 1,416 Filipinos in the Middle East have requested repatriation as of Tuesday morning.

Of those who sought repatriation, 297 are from Israel, 22 are from Jordan, 231 are from Bahrain and 856 are from the United Arab Emirates.

However, the repatriation efforts are hampered by the impact of Iran’s retaliatory attacks on airports in various parts of the region.

“The situation is very fluid. Our assessment is it is dangerous to fly. Even if we get an airplane, we cannot do anything because number one, the airports are closed. They are all no-fly zones. This is a combat area,” Marcos said.

Marcos said there is a risk of a commercial plane being attacked by mistake.

“With regard to flying, we will not do it for now. Now, there is an option to travel by land. That is also dangerous be used if there is a friendly fire incident, it is an active combat zone, if you see vehicles, they might be bombed because they will misidentify it as…a hostile movement,” he said.

“So, that is also dangerous. Although that will be the best option that we will have in the immediate future because we are still afraid of flying.”

The President advised Filipinos in the Middle East to find a safe place and to stay indoors.

“If you are in a safe place, of you are far (from the war zone), just stay put and be safe. And we will slowly try to find ways for those who want to be repatriated, we will find ways to get you out safely,” he added.

The death toll from the conflict has exceeded 500, including Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei and about 40 of his officials.

The fatalities also include 32-year-old Filipina caregiver Mary Anne Velazquez de Vera, who was hit by a bomb shrapnel during a retaliatory attack launched by Iran against Israel.

US President Donald Trump has justified the military operation, saying Iran was aiming to rebuild its nuclear program and was developing long-range missiles that threaten Americans and their allies.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the offensives were meant to “strike hard at the terror regime” and create conditions that would allow the Iranians to “cast off the yoke” of a “murderous regime.”

Iran has described the attacks as a “war crime” and has staged retaliatory strikes that targeted American and Israeli bases across the Middle East.

Security officials have allayed fears that the Philippines – an ally of both the US and Israel – may be targeted by forces sympathetic to Iran. According to the National Security Council, the conflict has not gone beyond the Middle East and there is no verified direct threat to Philippine territory including its military facilities.

Senate hearing

At the Senate, the foreign relations committee has set a meeting for Friday, March 6, to get updates on contingency measures laid down by concerned government agencies.

Committee chairman Sen. Erwin Tulfo said officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) would be asked to discuss their plans for repatriating Filipinos in affected regions.

Tulfo said he also wanted to invite the Department of Energy (DOE) to explain in detail its plan to give fuel subsidies to public utility vehicle drivers with more price hikes looming due to the clo-sure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil trade route.

Tulfo said he would ask the DOE if it would consider sourcing the country’s oil supply from nearby Indonesia and Malaysia so the country would not be dependent on Middle East oil.

“Are we only looking at the Middle East? Can we look at our neighbors, Malaysia and Indonesia? They also supply oil and I believe, according to my sources, our small players get their supply from Malaysia and Indonesia,” Tulfo said. “So, why don’t we look there for now?”

Militant groups, meanwhile, are calling on Filipinos to oppose the US-Israeli war against Iran.

In a joint statement with the International League of People’s Struggle Philippines, the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan or Bayan said the US-Israel led armed attacks have already forced 1,000 over-seas Filipino workers to go home, with others forced to leave their workplaces for safety.

“We expect the number of displaced OFWs to balloon in the coming days as the tension spreads fast across West Asia,” Bayan said.

It warned that remittances, which account for up to nine percent of the Philippine economy could suffer a major blow due to the escalating conflict.

“Many Filipino families rely on OFW remittances, comprising up to 30 percent of household income in some regions,” Bayan said.

It added the US-Israel aggression is also causing major uncertainties in the global oil market, putting tremendous pressure on import-dependent and oil-intensive Philippine economy.

“The Filipino people have nothing to gain from the imperialist wars waged by the US, which only harm our interests,” it said. – With Marc Jayson Cayabyab, Emmanuel Tupas