LIVE UPDATES: Conflict in the Middle East (March 22, 2026)

Iran said on Sunday it would strike the energy and water systems of its Gulf neighbors in retaliation if US President Donald Trump follows through with a threat to hit Iran's electricity grid in 48 hours, escalating the three-week-old war.

The prospect of tit-for-tat strikes on civilian infrastructure could deepen the regional crisis and further rattle global markets when they reopen on Monday morning.

Trump threatened overnight to "obliterate" Iran's power plants if Tehran did not fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours, barely a day after he talked about "winding down" the war. He made the new threat as US Marines and heavy landing craft are heading to the region.

Filipinos may expect higher prices of commodities as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East could drive inflation higher, according to the development organization IBON Foundation.

Speaking to Super Radyo dzBB on Sunday, IBON executive director Sonny Africa said inflation may climb to 6% to 7% by the end of the year if the Middle East conflict continues.

“Kung ngayon yung 2.4% ngayon Pebrero, malamang sa hindi, tatama ng 5% ngayon Marso pa lamang hanggang sa kalagitnaan ng taon, mas maaring umabot ng 6% to 7% sa katapusan ng taon,” Africa said.

“Hindi naman sasabay yung sahod; di naman madadagdagan ang trabaho,” he added.

Iran's military threatened on Sunday to completely shut down the strategic Strait of Hormuz if US President Donald Trump acts on threats to target the country's power plants.

Trump has given Iran 48 hours to reopen the strait which has been effectively closed since the start of the war sparked on February 28 by US-Israeli bombardment of Iran.

"If the United States' threats regarding Iran's power plants are carried out... the Strait of Hormuz will be completely closed, and it will not be reopened until our destroyed power plants are rebuilt," the military's operational command Khatam Al-Anbiya said.

Pope Leo on Sunday said death and suffering caused by the war in the Middle East are a "scandal to the whole human family," renewing his plea for an immediate ceasefire.

As the US-Israeli war on Iran enters its fourth week, the first US pope said that he continues to follow with "dismay" the situation in the Middle East and in other regions torn apart by war and violence.

"We cannot remain silent in the face of the suffering of so many people, the defenseless victims of these conflicts. What hurts them hurts the whole of humanity," he said. "I strongly renew my appeal for us to persevere in prayer, so that hostilities may cease and the way may finally be paved for peace."

DUBAI - Iran is ready to cooperate with the International Maritime Organization to improve maritime safety and protect seafarers in the Gulf, the Iranian representative to the UN maritime agency said, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported on Sunday.

Ali Mousavi said the Strait of Hormuz remains open to all shipping except vessels linked to "Iran's enemies", adding that passage through the narrow waterway was possible by coordinating security and safety arrangements with Tehran.

"Diplomacy remains Iran's priority. However, a complete cessation of aggression as well as mutual trust and confidence are more important," Mousavi said, adding that Israeli and US attacks against Iran were at the "root of current situation in Strait of Hormuz". —Reuters

A thorough monitoring of commodity prices is needed before declaring a national state of emergency amid the climbing fuel prices, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said Sunday.

“Halos tatlong linggo na itong pagtaas ng presyo ng langis. Magkakaroon kasi ito ng 2nd-round effects o spillover effects sa pagkain at suweldo. Kailangan i-monitor mabuti ang sitwasyon,” Gatchalian, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, told Super Radyo dzBB.

(It’s been almost three weeks of rising oil prices. This could lead to second-round or spillover effects on food prices and wages. The situation needs to be closely monitored.)

“As to declare the state of emergency, i-monitor muna natin 'yung movement ng presyo,” he added.

(To declare the state of emergency, let us first monitor the movement of commodities.)

The senator further said that it is important to track the inflation in the country.

Data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that inflation continued to accelerate in February, hitting the fastest pace in 13 months due mainly to higher prices of food, non-alcoholic beverages, housing, and utilities.

Consumer prices rose by 2.4% in February, faster than the 2.0% in January, and 2.1% in February 2025—the fastest pace in 12 months.

“The uptrend in the overall inflation in February 2026 was primarily influenced by the faster annual increment in the index of the heavily weighted food and non-alcoholic beverages at 1.8%,” the PSA said, with the index holding a 29.5% share of the overall inflation rate.

According to an industry source, the estimated adjustments in fuel prices per liter for next week are the following:

    Diesel - P16.50 to P17.50 per liter
    Gasoline - P7.50 to P8.50 per liter

The Department of Energy (DOE) previously announced the following fuel price adjustments for March 17 to March 23 week:

Diesel - P20.40 to P23.90 per liter
Gasoline - P12.90 to P16.60 per liter
Kerosene - P6.90 to P8.90 per liter

Gatchalian believed that the government should have more teeth in overseeing the prices of petroleum products.

“Kailangan magkaroon ng unbundling para malaman ng gobyerno kung magkano ang presyo ng binibili,” Gatchalian said.

(An unbundling is needed so that the government can determine how much is actually being paid.)

The Senate and House of Representatives, meanwhile, approved the measure granting emergency powers to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to suspend or reduce excise tax when the average Dubai crude oil price exceeds $80 per barrel for one month.

Despite certifying it a urgent, Marcos said exercising the emergency power to temporarily suspend or reduce the oil excise tax is yet to be determined since it is a “very complicated calculation.”  

“Depends on the trends. We have to watch the trends on oil prices. We just have to look. It's very hard to say because it's all speculation. We don't know how long this will last for,'' Marcos said. —Mariel Celine Serquiña/KG, GMA Integrated News

The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Sunday said it is set to distribute P5,000 fuel subsidy to farmers to help them cope with the rising cost of fuel as a result of the conflict in the Middle East.

This is after the DA has secured a P50-million sub-allotment, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said.

A total of 9,570 farmers relying on mechanized equipment are targeted to receive the fuel subsidy, based on the data provided by the DA’s Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Engineering (BAFE).

“Farmers eligible for this cash assistance are only those listed in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture, as provided in the General Appropriations Act,” Tiu Laurel said.

The rising prices of fuel have affected production and transportation costs in the farming sector, the DA added. Mechanized farmers in particular have been affected by the increase in the price of diesel.

The release of the funds was prompted by the increase in global oil prices beyond the US$80-per-barrel threshold, which is a key benchmark under the government's guidelines.

The Department of Energy certified that the 30-day average price based on the Mean of Platts Singapore was already at US$89.02 per barrel as of March 13, the DA pointed out.

"The spike in oil prices has been driven largely by escalating tensions in the Middle East, where supply risks have tightened global energy markets. For oil-importing countries like the Philippines, the impact is immediate and broad-based — raising input costs for agriculture, increasing transport fares, and adding pressure on food inflation," the department said.

As for fisherfolk, the DA said a separate fuel subsidy is already being distributed.

“We will continue to look for resources to extend greater assistance to our farmers and fisherfolk—our food producers who are among those most affected by this geopolitical conflict that we are not part of,” Tiu Laurel said. —KG, GMA Integrated News

The Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization (ACTO) on Sunday announced that it will conduct a transport holiday on Monday, March 23, as drivers and operators of public utility vehicles (PUVs) struggle to operate amid the rising prices of petroleum products.

“Talagang hindi namin kakayanin na. Kaya kami sa Lunes, magta-transport holiday kami nationwide. Hindi kami lalabas. Wala namang manggugulo. Para maiparamdam sa ating Presidente Marcos na kami talaga ay hirap na hirap na,” Libay de Luna, national president, told Super Radyo dzBB.

(We really cannot operate anymore. So on Monday, we’ll observe a nationwide transport holiday. We won’t go out, and there won’t be any disturbances. This is to show President Marcos that we are truly struggling.)

De Luna said their group is seeking to receive their fuel subsidy and assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development ((DSWD).

She also appealed to the government for help with service contracts and requested a bank moratorium for transport cooperatives struggling to pay for modern jeepney units.

Western Visayas Alliance of Transport Cooperatives and Corporations Inc. will also conduct a transport holiday in Iloilo City., according to a separate dzBB report.

The groups said a transport holiday is needed to prevent their organization from financial collapse.

Over 1,000 traditional and modern jeepney drivers and operators plying the public transport route in Iloilo City will participate in the transport holiday.

The group said their goal is to protect the transport sector and safeguard their livelihood.

Classes at all levels in Iloilo City are also suspended on Monday.

In response, the Iloilo City government will provide free rides for affected passengers. 

Meanwhile, the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (FEJODAP) and the Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators sa Pilipinas (LTOP) earlier announced that they will postpone their supposed transport strike on Monday.

Instead, they will meet with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), along with other transport groups, to discuss fare increases, as the agencies will begin distributing financial aid to jeepney, UV Express, and Transportation Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) drivers.

According to an industry source, the estimated adjustments in fuel prices per liter for next week are the following:

    Diesel - P16.50 to P17.50 per liter
    Gasoline - P7.50 to P8.50 per liter

The Department of Energy (DOE) earlier announced the following fuel price adjustments for the week of March 17 to March 23:

    Diesel - P20.40 to P23.90 per liter
    Gasoline - P12.90 to P16.60 per liter
    Kerosene - P6.90 to P8.90 per liter

—RF, GMA Integrated News

More than 200,000 public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers in the National Capital Region (NCR) are scheduled to receive their cash relief assistance (CRA) from the government this week to help them cope with rising fuel prices, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said.

PUV drivers outside NCR meanwhile will receive their CRA after Holy Week, DSWD spokesperson Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said Saturday.

The schedule of payout of P5,000 CRA this week in NCR is as follows, according to DSWD's press release issued Sunday: 

    TNVS drivers - Tuesday, March 24 - for around 27,635 drivers
    Jeepney drivers - Wednesday, March 25 - more than 21,700 drivers
    Delivery service drivers - Thursday and Friday, March 26 and 27 - 137,700 drivers
    Motorcycle taxi riders - Saturday, March 28 - approximately 27,600 drivers

That amounts to a total of 214,635 targeted beneficiaries.

"Itong mga nabanggit ay 'yung operating within the NCR... Tinatapos pa natin ang NCR... Hindi naman kailangang mag-alala ng ibang drivers outside Metro Manila. After Holy Week, mag-uumpisa naman tayo ng distribution sa kanila," Dumlao said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB on Saturday.

(These are for drivers operating within the NCR. We are finishing the payouts in NCR. Other drivers outside Metro Manila need not worry. After Holy Week, we will start the distribution for them.)

PUV drivers need to present their valid driver's license as well as a photocopy of it at the payout venue.

The DSWD will announce the payout venues on Monday, March 23.

The department said drivers may coordinate with their local government units and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to make sure they are included in the list of beneficiaries of the CRA.

The cash assistance is being given under DSWD's Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) as the Middle East conflict stemming from the US-Israel war against Iran drove up the prices of fuel.

Each venue will have a joint help desk to be manned by representatives of the LTFRB and other groups and organizations, Dumlao said.

Meanwhile, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) will be the one who will provide cash assistance to taxi drivers, she said. 

Farmers and fisherfolk on the other hand will receive assistance from the Department of Agriculture to help them amid the high cost of fuel due to the Middle East conflict.

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has ordered the immediate release of P21.47 billion in public funds to roll out fuel subsidies and sustain infrastructure projects, the Department of Budget and Management said Friday.

Malacañang on Friday called on the public transport sector, particularly drivers, to trust the government’s measures amid their continued demand for Marcos to address rising petroleum prices. —KG, GMA Integrated News

Some transport groups have postponed the supposed transport strike on Monday amid the surging prices of fuel products.

These groups are the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (FEJODAP) and the Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators sa Pilipinas (LTOP), according to Bernadette Reyes' 24 Oras Weekend report on Saturday.

Instead, they will meet with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), along with other transport groups, to discuss fare increases, as the agencies will begin distributing financial aid to jeepney, UV Express, and Transportation Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) drivers.

“I-focus namin po 'yan dahil po mismo ang ating pangulo alam niya magkano ang baseline nu'ng tumaas ang ating krudo na umabot na ngayon na mahigit P100 [per liter]. Nagsimula po 'yan sa P49 [per liter], may P51, hanggang P55. I-atras po namin panandalian [ang transport strike],” LTOP president Orlando Marquez said.

(We will focus on that because President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. himself knows the baseline price when fuel started to rise, which has now reached over P100 [per liter]. It started at P49 [per liter], then P51, up to P55. We will postpone [the transport strike] for now.)

“Kasi po binalita po sa amin na baka ibigay na po 'yung dalawang pisong [dagdag pasahe] hinihiling namin at saka 'yung P10,000 subsidy,” FEJODAP chairman Deo Sotto said.

(Because we were told that the P2 fare increase we’re requesting and the P10,000 subsidy might be granted.)

But other transport groups said they can no longer operate with the rising fuel prices.

Juan Transport Services Cooperative, which is plying routes in Quezon City, said they either postpone their operations or have limited units operating.

“Sa modern [jeepney] natin, pumapalo ito ng P74,000 sa 21 units na modern. So hindi na talaga kami kikita. Kaya minabuti namin na tumigil muna. At least ma-save namin 'yung isang araw. And then ngayon, operation kami pero reduced na 'yung units natin,” said Misael Melinas, president of Juan Transport Services Cooperative.

(We spent P74,000 for 21 modern units, so we really don’t earn anymore. That’s why we decided to stop for now, at least to save one day’s costs. And at times operate but with reduced units.)

Nearly 80% of tricycle drivers also stopped operating in Casiguran, Aurora, while some jeepney drivers did not ply their routes or reduced their trips in Mangaldan, Pangasinan.

Aside from high fuel prices, some gasoline stations have also temporarily closed.

GMA Integrated News is reaching out to the LTFRB and DOTr regarding the matter.

According to oil industry sources, next week, diesel prices could rise by P16 to P18 per liter, and gasoline by P9 to P11 per liter.

Long lines were observed at a gasoline station in North Fairview, Quezon City on Saturday morning, since prices of petroleum products are lower compared to other areas.

Its gasoline is priced at P74 per liter, while diesel costs over P101 per liter.

Meanwhile, in Pasay City, premium diesel costs up to P120 per liter, while gasoline sells for up to P99.50 per liter.

Some gasoline stations offered discounts, like the one along Mindanao Avenue, where gasoline costs just over P72 per liter and diesel costs P94 per liter.

On Wednesday, the Department of Social Welfare and Development is expected to begin distributing cash assistance to jeepney drivers in addition to the fuel subsidy from the DOTr. —Mariel Celine Serquiña/KG, GMA Integrated News