President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday, May 8, 2026, said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) is calling for peace and an immediate de-escalation of tensions in the Middle East amid the continuing conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran.
In a press conference, Marcos said Asean foreign ministers had already issued a statement urging all parties involved in the conflict to cease hostilities and work toward a lasting peace.
"What Asean is calling for from the parties in the Middle East, in the conflict in the Middle East, is peace. It's that simple — peace," Marcos said.
"We have made that position very clear. The foreign ministers, when they met previous to this summit, already put out that document calling for all parties to cease hostilities and to take a step back, open the Strait of Hormuz, and find a way for a lasting peace," he added.
The Philippines is the chair of the 48th Asean Summit and Related Meetings, which officially opened Friday, in Cebu. The President said the situation in the Middle East remains uncertain, with fears that renewed fighting could erupt at any time.
"We now are in this limbo situation where we don't know how long it's going to last. We don't know when the next encounter is going to be," Marcos said.
He noted the complexity of the conflict, citing questions surrounding the status of ceasefires and the involvement of various groups, including Hezbollah.
"Is the ceasefire on? Is it not on? Is Israel included? Is Hezbollah included? It's a very difficult situation," he said.
Marcos stressed that meaningful solutions could only begin once violence and bombings stop.
"Until the fighting ends, until the bombings end, then it's very difficult to put together any kind of solution," he said.
"That is why the goal, essentially, is peace."
