Marcos urges restraint in US-Iran war

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March 3, 2026 | 1:02pm

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged restraint and expressed hope for a ceasefire on Tuesday, March 3, as the United States and Israel continue their broad and open-ended war on Iran and Iranian reprisals escalate and widen.

Marcos was asked by reporters in a chance interview Tuesday whether he'd formally urge both sides to agree to a ceasefire. He initially demurred and said cautiously that only those "involved" can call for a truce, but eventually he expressed a need for restraint in the conflict. 

"Of course we want the fighting to stop, [...] but the Philippines is not going to call for a ceasefire. The only people who can call for a ceasefire are those who are involved," Marcos said. "We are only involved, tangentially, if you want to call it that, because of our people who are there."

Then, later, the president tacked on the following: "But let me do it now if it will help. Let's hope that there is a ceasefire and we, the Philippines, ask all parties to show restraint and to bring this to a close as quickly as possible."

In saying this, Marcos joins other world leaders currently pressuring the belligerents to halt the conflict that has already killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and triggered a massive regional crisis.

Manila's main concern is that over 2.1 million Filipinos currently work across the Middle East.

"We have expressed support for the countries that have come under attack, and we have made our feelings known that we hope that this crisis ends as quickly as possible," Marcos said.

The Philippines has sought Middle Eastern countries' "continued assistance for the safety of our people," the president added.

One Filipino national working as a caregiver in Israel — and identified as Mary Ann Velasquez de Vera — has been killed in the exchange of attacks so far.

Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac reported Monday that around 150 Filipinos in Dubai and Israel have already sought repatriation. However, immediate evacuation is stalled as regional airspace remains largely closed, with dozens of flights to and from the Philippines cancelled or diverted since the February 28 outbreak of hostilities.

The government has not yet ordered a mass evacuation, as most of the region remains under Alert Level 2 (Restriction). Mandatory repatriation only triggers at Alert Level 4, currently active only in Gaza, Syria and Yemen.

The conflict, which United States President Donald Trump suggests could last several weeks, has already seen Iran target energy infrastructure and threaten to close the Strait of Hormuz. This would choke a fifth of global oil flows and trigger an economic crisis for the Philippines, which largely depends on the area for oil.

CNN reported today that Trump said in an interview with them that the United States military's “big wave” of attacks against Iran is yet to come.