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Energy crisis, Middle East conflict take centre stage at Asean Summit in Philippines
Philippine energy secretary Sharon Garin said the host Philippines aims to push for greater regional cooperation to stabilize energy supply in the region of more than 700 million inhabitants
- PUBLISHED: Thu 7 May 2026, 12:05 PM UPDATED: Thu 7 May 2026, 12:43 PM
[Editor's Note: Follow Khaleej Times live blog amid US-Israel-Iran war for the latest regional developments.]
The war in the Middle East takes center stage at the 48th Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) biennial meeting in the Philippines, the region to focus on stabilizing energy supply to omember countries.
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The summit opened in Cebu province on Thursday – hosted by current chair, the Philippines – amid ongoing concerns on disrupted crude oil supply from the Middle East.
Philippine energy secretary Sharon Garin said the host Philippines aims to push for greater regional cooperation to stabilize energy supply in the region of more than 700 million inhabitants.
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In an interview, Garin said that the Philippines has started negotiations with oil producers outside of Asia for a much-needed resupply for the region’s refineries.
While a few Asean members (such as Brunei and Malaysia) are oil-producing countries, majority still rely on crude oil from the Middle East that had been disrupted since the start of the US-Israel war against Iran.
This led to dramatic increases in fuel prices and dangerous low supplies in countries such as the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia – some of the most populous countries in the world.
Garin also told reporters the Asean summit would prioritise discussions on increasing alternative energy outputs, such as renewables, to counter supply volatility should geopolitical tensions in West Asia fail to de-escalate in the near future.
Asean countries average 30 per cent in terms of reliance on renewable energy for electricity requirements.
Ten heads of state are expected to arrive in Cebu City on Thursday to deliver speeches. Myanmar is represented by its Permanent Secretary of Foreign Affairs, rather than its head of State.