LIVE UPDATES: Conflict in the Middle East (March 9, 2026)

Prices of some food items and services have already begun rising on Monday ahead of expected massive fuel price increases.

According to Mariz Umali’s report on “24 Oras,” the per-kilo price of lapu-lapu (grouper) at the Bulungan Seafood Market in Parañaque rose from P300 to P400.

Meanwhile, the price of bakoko (emperor fish) climbed from P250 to P400 per kilo.

At the Balintawak Market in Quezon City, a container of fish now costs P500 more, prompting some vendors to sell fish per bundle instead of per kilo so customers can still afford them.

Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Fredderick Vida has ordered the agency to implement a four-day onsite workweek as part of its energy conservation efforts amid rising oil prices driven by the conflict in the Middle East.

Under the temporary arrangement, DOJ support personnel will be onsite from Monday to Thursday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

Mandatory work-from-home days will be on Fridays.

The Caloocan City government wants its police and traffic personnel to swap some vehicle trips for bicycles as part of broader energy and fuel-saving measures.

Under Executive Order No. 007-26, signed by Mayor Dale Gonzalo Malapitan on March 7, all city offices are required to cut electricity and fuel use by at least 15 percent amid the ongoing global energy crisis.

The Department of Finance (DOF) on Monday announced a four-day on-site workweek as part of the government’s energy conservation efforts amid the conflict in the Middle East.

In a social media post, the DOF said its on-site work schedule will run from Monday to Thursday, while employees will work from home on Fridays.

Department of Energy Secretary Sharon Garin on Monday expressed support for a proposed measure that would allow President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to suspend excise taxes on oil, saying a two-month suspension could lower diesel prices by as much as P6 per liter.

Garin made the remarks during a briefing on calls to suspend excise taxes amid the ongoing conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran, which has escalated across Gulf nations from which the Philippines imports 98% of its crude oil.

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) on Monday ensured the swift and full compliance of telecommunication companies to the directive of President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. to provide free communication services for overseas Filipino workers in the Middle East.

In a press statement, NTC Commissioner Ella Blanca Lopez said the agency is ready to support the implementation of the President’s order, which seeks to help affected OFWs stay connected with their families without worrying about expensive international call, text, and data charges.

Philippine financial markets continued to bleed on Monday, as global oil prices breached $100 per barrel due to the intensified conflict in the Middle East, spurring inflation concerns which could lead to monetary policy tightening.

The Philippine peso shed 50 centavos to close at P59.5:$1 versus last Friday’s finish of P59:$1, after hitting a record intraday low of P59.7:$1 earlier in the session. Monday’s close is the worst showing on record, surpassing the previous low of P59.46:$1 on January 15, 2026.

“There are concerns on a possibility of some people taking advantage of the Middle East tensions through profiteering and hoarding of basic commodities. We assure the public that the PNP will exert all legal and necessary measures to help protect consumers,” said PNP chief Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez in a statement. 

“I have directed our chiefs of police and heads of units to boost the deployment of personnel in local markets, groceries, and supermarkets to prevent any incidents of profiteering and hoarding among sellers and retailers,” he added.

China said Monday that Iran's decision to name Mojtaba Khamenei as its new supreme leader following the killing of his father was a domestic matter, and it opposed any attempt to target him.

China's foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters on Monday that Iran's decision to appoint the younger Khamenei was "based on its constitution."

"China opposes interference in other countries' internal affairs under any pretext, and Iran's sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity should be respected," he said when asked about the threats against the new leader.

DUBAI — When Samuel Lait launched his private flights firm focused on pet travel in Dubai on Saturday, he was expecting to receive queries from owners looking to travel with their pets between the glitzy Gulf hub and the United Kingdom.

Instead, PetX Jets' inbox is full of requests from all sorts of passengers - from young adults and pregnant couples right up to the elderly - wanting to leave the United Arab Emirates as conflict engulfs the region, forcing countries to close their airspace and stranding tens of thousands of people.