ISTANBUL

The Philippines has imported more than 700,000 barrels of Russian crude oil amid the Middle East conflict, a senior official in Manila confirmed on Thursday.

The Malacanang Presidential Palace press officer and Undersecretary Claire Castro confirmed the shipment to reporters, according to the Philippine daily Inquirer.

Earlier, in a news conference, she said Manila is taking all possible measures to tackle rising fuel prices and supply shortages caused by the Middle East conflict.

She added that officials are seeking countries that can supply the Philippines with oil.

The Philippines is the first country to impose a national emergency to address energy issues created by the conflict in the Middle East.

The Southeast Asian country imports 90% of its oil from the Middle East and paid $16 billion in 2024, according to The New York Times.

The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively disrupted since early March. Around 20 million barrels of oil normally pass through it daily, and its disruption has driven up shipping costs and pushed global oil prices higher.

The US earlier decided to ease oil sanctions against Russia due to the price shock caused by the Iran war.

Regional escalation has continued to flare since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing so far over 1,340 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.