Overview
- The Philippines, as 2026 chair, convened a virtual Special Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and hosted an economic ministers’ retreat on March 13 to coordinate the regional response.
- Foreign and economic ministers called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, urged restraint and diplomacy, and pressed to keep energy and maritime trade routes open as oil trades around $100 a barrel.
- The bloc agreed to tap ASEAN mechanisms — the petroleum security framework (APSA), the ASEAN Power Grid and the Trans-ASEAN Gas Pipeline — with closer cross-pillar coordination to bolster resilience.
- Governments rolled out domestic measures: the Philippines shortened the government work week and sought authority to suspend fuel excise taxes, Vietnam cut retail fuel prices, and Thailand restricted energy exports to most countries.
- ASEAN prioritized protection of its nationals through enhanced consular cooperation and evacuations, with officials noting ongoing joint efforts in the Gulf region; Philippine officials also said Manila is considering oil purchases from Russia.