LIVE UPDATES: Conflict in the Middle East (March 6, 2026)

Iran will not compete at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, the International Paralympic Committee announced on Friday, with their lone athlete unable to travel due to the conflict in the Middle East.

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A veteran Filipino maritime expert warned about the dangers in the Strait of Hormuz as hundreds of Filipino seafarers remain stranded in the area due to tensions in the Middle East.

Maritime training consultant and former ship captain Edgardo V. Flores showed where he and his crew were trapped during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, especially in parts of the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

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Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Israel narrated experiencing sleepless nights amid the airstrikes as the US-Israel conflict with Iran continues.

But they said they are staying unless forced to leave Israel.

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President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Friday talked on the phone with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and expressed solidarity with the people of the United Arab Emirates amid the continuing tension in the Middle East.

During their conversation, Marcos indicated confidence in the UAE government’s ability to ensure the safety of all residents, including the nearly one million Filipinos living there.

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President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. on Friday warned businessmen and traders not to take advantage of the continuing tension in the Middle East. 

In a video message, Marcos assured the public that the government continues to monitor the prices of basic goods in the market as oil prices are expected to soar, which is expected to affect the prices of commodities. 

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President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Friday said the government was ready for significant pump price hikes expected in the coming week amid tensions in the Middle East.

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President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. on Friday announced that beginning March 9, 2026, a four-day work week will temporarily be implemented in some offices of the Executive department.

''Para naman sa bahagi ng pamahalaan: Simula sa Lunes, ika-9 ng Marso, pansamantala nating ipapatupad ang four-day work week sa ilang tanggapan ng ehekutibo,'' Marcos said in a video message.

Philippine financial markets weakened on Friday with the peso depreciating for the seventh straight day to hit its weakest performance in over five weeks, as market players continued to take in the impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The Philippine peso shed 37 centavos to close at P59:$1 from Thursday's finish of P58.63, marking its worst showing since it closed at P59.085:$1 on January 27, 2026.

The Department of Energy (DOE) on Friday projected that the price of diesel may exceed eighty pesos per liter this month if there are no staggered price adjustments amid rising tensions in the Middle East.

DOE Oil Management Bureau Director Rino Abad floated the possibility during a hearing of the Senate committee on foreign relations, noting that the conflict between the United States and Iran is much worse than that of Russia and Ukraine.

The Department of Energy (DOE) is working with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to intensify monitoring against possible hoarding and profiteering in the sale of petroleum products amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

In an advisory, the DOE said it has received initial reports and evidence indicating potential irregularities in fuel supply and retail practices in Luzon and Mindanao, which are currently being validated and consolidated.