The Iran war could provide an impetus for the Philippines and China to reach an agreement on disputed energy resources in the South China Sea, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr said recently. Marcos, the rotational chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this year, emphasised the need for a “reset” in relations with China given that regional states are confronting “very serious” economic and foreign policy restructuring.
Marcos’ statements came shortly after the Philippine government declared a national energy emergency amid an imminent danger of critically low supplies. The situation is so dire that the Philippines is buying oil from Russia and negotiating sanctions waivers with Washington for potential oil purchases from even Iran and Venezuela.
Lacking strategic reserves of its own and heavily reliant on private importers and overseas refinery capacity, the Philippines could run out of energy supplies in less than two months. Meanwhile, some 2.4 million Filipinos living across the Middle East, who send home billions of dollars in remittances annually, face serious threats to both their employment and safety amid the escalating US-Israeli war with Iran.
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Outraged by the consequences of the ill-advised war, Filipino Senator Panfilo Lacson accused US President Donald Trump of “brinkmanship” and “narcissistic arrogance”. He blamed the US for recklessly dragging other countries into the disruptive conflict without prior consultations even with its closest allies.
The anger and frustration among the public and Filipino leaders, who have historically been among Washington’s closest partners in Asia, reflect a shifting balance of power in the region. The US is rapidly depleting both its weapons and its reputation as a reliable ally. China, thanks to its cautious diplomacy and massive resources, is now in a prime position to project leadership and woo America’s frontline allies.
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It’s hard to overstate the adverse impact of the escalating conflict in the Middle East. In just the opening days, US and Israeli forces deployed more than 5,000 munitions. As many as 850 Tomahawk cruise missiles have been fired against targets in Iran in recent weeks, reflecting the high burn rate of strategic American weapons that could take years to replenish.
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance fires a Tomahawk missile at an undisclosed location on February 28. Photo: Handout
