Filipino legislators called for an end to the war in the Middle East, noting its dire impacts, including escalating oil prices throughout the world.
Fifty members of the House of Representatives (HoR) signed House Resolution No. 909 on Wednesday calling for the “Immediate Cessation Of Hostilities, the Pursuit of Peaceful Dialogue, and the Protection of Civilians amid Escalating Military Aggression in Iran.”
Authored by the three progressive lawmakers of the Makabayan Coalition, the resolution said it recognizes that the acts of military aggression initiated by the United States and Israel against Iran “disproportionately affect innocent civilians.”
The Philippines has 2.4 million migrant workers in the Gulf Region, thousands of whom have already requested repatriation by the Philippine government. A Filipina died as a direct result of the conflict, caregiver in Israel, while about 7,000 Filipino seafarer are stranded in the Strait of Hormuz. A Filipino seafarer remains missing.
The declaration also noted that the ongoing hostilities have also contributed to sharp increases in global oil prices, which in turn lead to rising fuel costs, transportation fares, electricity prices, and the overall cost of basic goods and services.
The country has registered the most drastic of oil price increases, reaching up to 177 per cent for diesel. It has reached out to non-traditional sources of oil products, such as Russia and Venezuela, to shore up its dwindling supply.
“The international community has a shared responsibility to prevent further escalation of violence and to pursue negotiations and peaceful solutions to conflicts. The Philippines, as part of the international community, must uphold diplomacy, dialogue, and international cooperation as essential pillars of global peace and stability,” the resolution adds.
The resolution specifically blames the US and Israel as “instigator” of the war and calls on both countries to “immediately cease hostilities.”
An ally of both Washington and Tel Aviv, the Philippines was the US’ only formal colony between 1899 and 1946 while it provided the swing vote for the recognition of Israel as a member of the United Nations in May 1949.
“We urge all parties involved in ongoing conflicts to prioritize diplomacy, negotiations, and peaceful dialogue as the primary means of resolving disputes,” the resolution reads.
Both majority and minority blocs of the HoR signed the resolution. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
