Shocks of Mideast missiles reach PHL petro stations

While President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. travelled to New York to lobby the United Nations for a non-permanent seat at the powerful United Nations Security Council, events at home paint a troubling portrait of a nation slowly but clearly spiraling out of control.

In the Philippine Senate, public attention is consumed by a political feud between Panfilo Lacson and Rodante Marcoleta, trading accusations about campaign donations and political ethics. Such spectacles may generate headlines, but do little to address the mounting crisis facing ordinary Filipinos.

Across the country, families are struggling to survive relentless price increases. Fuel costs—triggered by the widening conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran—are cascading through the economy, pushing up transportation, electricity and food prices. Analysts warn that inflation could surge to as high as 7.5 percent if the Middle East conflict escalates further. 

The Philippines is particularly vulnerable. The country imports almost all of its oil, leaving consumers exposed whenever geopolitical tensions disrupt global supply chains. With crude prices surging and pump prices rising weekly, the economic shock is felt immediately by commuters, farmers, fishermen and small businesses.

Government’s proposed solution—suspending excise taxes on fuel—offers only temporary relief. Even officials acknowledge that such a measure could reduce prices by only a few pesos per liter and may result in tens of billions of pesos in lost government revenue. In short, it is a stopgap, not a strategy.

Meanwhile, the world itself appears to be sliding deeper into instability. The latest escalation in the Middle East has rattled financial markets and driven oil prices upward globally. International political drama—from Washington to Tehran—continues to shape the daily lives of Filipinos thousands of miles away.

This harsh reality underscores an uncomfortable truth: the Philippines remains largely powerless in the face of global geopolitical upheaval. With millions of overseas Filipino workers scattered across volatile regions and an economy dependent on imported energy, the country stands dangerously exposed to crises it is not involved.

Diplomatic ambitions at the United Nations may project an image of global relevance. But prestige abroad means little if government cannot shield its own people from the shocks of war, inflation and economic insecurity.

For now, Filipinos are left to endure the rising tide of prices—while their leaders debate politics and pursue influence on the world stage.