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"Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa 'Tess' Lazaro warned on Thursday that the Middle East crisis is having worsening consequences for ASEAN countries, speaking at the bloc's foreign ministers' meeting in Cebu. "The ongoing crisis in the Middle East and its far-reaching repercussions, including the disruptions to energy flows, trade routes, food supply chains, and the welfare of our nationals, remind us that developments beyond our region can have immediate and profound effects on ASEAN," she said. "For ASEAN, which imports about 66 per cent of its crude oil, this crisis meant a significant increase in fuel and energy costs, which eventually led to higher prices for agricultural inputs, food, and basic commodities. The crisis also caused disruptions in some sectors, including transportation and tourism, and put at risk millions of ASEAN nationals in the Middle East," Lazaro continued. The deepening energy crisis was also discussed at the 27th ASEAN Economic Community Council Meeting, attended by economic ministers, senior officials and representatives from all 10 ASEAN member states. "Just last week, we met virtually to respond to rapidly evolving developments in the Middle East. Today, we continue the same discussion, this time face-to-face, with the opportunity to listen more closely, engage more directly, and move our work forward," said Philippines' Secretary of Trade and Industry and Chair of ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) Cristina A. Roque. The US and Israel launched a joint military operation against Iran on February 28, and Iran responded with strikes on Israeli territory and US interests in the region. Tehran has restricted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, whilst the US Navy has maintained its blockade of Iranian ports, despite the ceasefire agreement. The closure of the strait hit the Philippine economy particularly hard. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a national energy emergency on March 24 to address the impact of the Middle East conflict on the country's energy supplies. The meetings are part of the wider 48th ASEAN Summit, which runs from May 6 to 8 under the theme 'Navigating Our Future, Together.' The summit is expected to focus on regional maritime security, energy resilience and supply chain disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict."
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