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Metro Manila, Philippines – Diesel prices for as low as ₱75 per liter would “take a couple of months” to happen even under an extended ceasefire in the Middle East, an energy official told lawmakers. Alessandro Sales, energy undersecretary, shared this assessment at the joint briefing of the House of Representatives about the government’s response to the Middle East crisis on Monday, April 13. He said under the “best case scenario where a long term agreement and cessation of hostilities is achieved,” diesel would settle at ₱75 to ₱90 per liter. “This will take a couple of months for the price to ease back to those levels. This will still be higher than our pre-crisis pricing and this is primarily due to structural damage in the Middle East in terms of facilities and the moving around of logistics to bring crude oil to the market,” he told lawmakers.  The DOE…

Metro Manila, Philippines –  President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has reduced excise taxes on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by ₱3.36 per liter and on kerosene by ₱5.60 per liter, as the government moves to ease the impact of rising fuel prices. The cuts were in line with Republic Act 12316, which grants the president authority to suspend or reduce fuel excise taxes when global oil prices reach a certain threshold. “Binawasan natin ang buwis sa produktong petrolyo na direktang ginagamit sa pang-araw-araw na buhay,” Marcos said.[Translation: We reduced taxes on petroleum products directly used in daily life.] The law, signed on March 25, allows the president to act when the average Dubai crude oil price reaches or exceeds $80 per barrel for one month, upon recommendation of the Development Budget Coordination Committee and in coordination with the Department of Energy. Any reduction or suspension may be applied for up to three…

Metro Manila, Philippines – The second gentleman turned to the court to prevent the subpoena of the House of Representatives to acquire his tax records for the impeachment hearing on April 14, a lawmaker said. On Monday, April 13, Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon, justice panel member, shared a copy of the petition filed by Manases Carpio with the Quezon City Regional Trial Court. NewsWatch Plus cannot independently verify the document. In the petition, Carpio sought an executive three-day temporary restraining order and/or a 20-day stay order in enforcing the summons to the Bureau of Internal Revenue to produce records of his income tax returns from 2007 to 2025 and the Carpio Lawyers Law Firm, which is also a petitioner in the formal filing. He called the period covered by the request “exceedingly overstretched.” Carpio also wanted the court to issue a writ of preliminary injunction and declare the subpoena…

Metro Manila, Philippines – The Middle East crisis is costing the government around ₱70 billion to ₱85 billion per month, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said, warning that the available crisis response fund may only last for two more months. “In 45 days, we have already spent ₱70 billion… Actually we already spent ₱85 billion if you look at the NCA [notice of cash allocation],” Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate PROTECT or Proactive Response and Oversight for Timely and Effective Crisis Strategy committee, said in a hearing on Monday, April 13.  “I think it’s safe to say the cost of the war to the Philippines is about ₱70 billion to ₱85 billion a month,” he added.  Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan agreed that the estimate is a reasonable ballpark figure, noting that while it reflects the fiscal cost, the broader economic impact could be significantly higher. Gatchalian…

Florida, US/Islamabad, Pakistan – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday the U.S. Navy would start blockading the Strait of Hormuz, raising the stakes after marathon talks with Iran failed to reach a deal to end the war, jeopardizing a fragile two-week ceasefire. The U.S. Central Command said U.S. forces would begin implementing the blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports at 10 a.m. ET (1400 GMT) on Monday. It would be “enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman,” a CENTCOM statement on X said. U.S. forces would not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports, and additional information would be provided to commercial mariners through a formal notice prior to the start of the blockade, it said. Trump said in…