Good day. Here are the stories of The Manila Times for Wednesday, April 1, 2026.
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READ: Iran's help eyed to safeguard tankers bound for Philippines
MANILA will initiate diplomatic talks with Tehran to ensure the safe passage of fuel shipments bound for the Philippines passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil transit route that Iran has shut down as a result of the war in the Middle East. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to take the lead on the matter as part of efforts to safeguard the country’s energy supply.
READ: Oil-thirsty Asian nations vying for Russian crude
Asian nations are increasingly competing for Russian crude oil as an energy crisis mounts amid the month-old war by the US and Israel against Iran, which has choked off roughly a fifth of the world's oil supply. Much of the oil from the mostly shut Strait of Hormuz was headed for Asia, hit hardest by recent energy shocks. Over the weekend, Iran-backed Houthi rebels entered the conflict, further threatening shipping. To shore up global crude oil supplies, the US has temporarily eased sanctions on Russian oil shipments already at sea — first for India, then for the rest of the world. Demand is rising in Asia while Russia is raking in billions of dollars. But experts say there is a limit to how much Moscow can boost its exports of crude oil, which is unrefined petroleum needed to make fuels like gasoline and diesel, and it is already exporting at a level close to its previous peak. In addition, Russia's 4-year-old full-scale invasion of Ukraine and recent drone attacks on its energy facilities by Kyiv are hurting its export capabilities. For desperate countries in Asia the opportunity is short-lived and shrinking, said Muyu Xu, a senior crude oil analyst at the global trade data firm Kpler.
READ: New Nueva Ecija expressway cuts costs of transporting rice
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday led the opening of the Central Luzon Link Expressway (CLLEX) Contract Package 4 Aliaga–Cabanatuan Section, a four-lane segment expected to enhance connectivity across Central Luzon. Speaking to reporters, Marcos said the new CLLEX segment would not only cut travel time from Tarlac to Cabanatuan City but also help reduce transportation cost of commodities, particularly rice, as Nueva Ecija produces the highest volume of rice in the country.
READ: DTI chief: Manufacturers agree to keep prices stable
MANUFACTURERS will defer price hikes on goods until April 16, Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said Tuesday. On March 28, the Trade chief announced that manufacturers and retailers have pledged not to increase the prices of goods until April 16. In her first meeting with them on March 16, 21 of them pledged to keep prices stable for 30 days, while others said they would go for 60 days. Roque said that she will be meeting with the manufacturers and retailers again after Holy Week.
BUSINESS: March inflation seen hitting 3.9%
HIGHER local fuel and electricity costs due to the Middle East conflict, along with a weaker peso, could have pushed inflation to a 20-month high in March, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said on Tuesday. Consumer price growth was forecast to have hit 3.1 to 3.9 percent, still within the 2.0- to 4.0-percent target but higher than the 2.4 percent recorded in January. Inflation at the top end, if realized, would be the highest since July 2024’s 4.4 percent. Data for March will be released by the Philippine Statistics Authority on April 7.
SPORTS: Eala begins clay season in Linz, Stuttgart
FILIPINO tennis ace Alexandra “Alex” Eala will start her clay season with a pair of WTA 500 tournaments: the Linz Open and the Stuttgart Open. The Linz Open in Austria will run from April 6 to 12 while the Stuttgart Open in Germany will take place from April 13 to 19. World No. 45 Eala gained a direct entry at Linz but has to go through the qualifiers in Stuttgart.
Opinion and editorial
Rigoberto Tiglao and Marlen Ronquillo are today’s front page columnists. Tiglao says the Iran war is causing the collapse of the OFW safety valve, while Ronquillo calls on the next president to understand “hyperglobalization”.
Today’s editorial says the loudest alarms are already sounding on climate change. Read the full version in the paper’s opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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