The return of a US ally. A tanker with Russian oil has reached the Philippines

Tanker with over 700,000 barrels of Russian oil reached the Philippines, AFP reported on Thursday. This is the first such delivery in five years. The authorities in Manila announced a state of emergency in the energy sector due to the ongoing war in the Middle East, which has led to a shortage of energy resources.

The Sierra Leone-flagged Sara Sky tanker moored in the port of Limay, where the only Philippine refinery is located. As AFP reminds, in March the United States eased some of the sanctions on Russian oil, allowing the purchase of this raw material already in sea transit.

“We not only turned to our traditional oil suppliers, but also tried to explore other sources that are not affected by the war in the Middle East,” said Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez said the Philippines is negotiating with the U.S. Department of State to obtain exemptions from U.S. oil sanctions.

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The Philippines is the first country to declare a state of emergency in the energy sector due to the situation in the Middle East. They also launched a fund worth 20 billion pesos (approx. USD 330 million) to secure supplies of energy raw materials.

A two-day strike by passenger carriers began in the Philippines on Thursday. They demand that the government lower fuel prices.

🇷🇺 🇵🇭 A ship carrying more than 700,000 barrels of Russian oil crude has arrived in the Philippines, a source with knowledge of the matter told AFP on Thursday, days after the country declared a national energy emergency over the Middle East war.
➡️ https://t.co/G2o2KWctYl pic.twitter.com/sZqyEzQW4c

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) March 26, 2026

The Philippines is largely dependent on imports of energy raw materials, and 98 percent crude oil imported from abroad comes from the Middle East. According to the authorities, government fuel stocks cover the country's 45-day demand.

The global increase in oil prices and shortages are the result of Iran blocking the Strait of Hormuz, which is crucial for the transport of this raw material, in response to the US and Israeli airstrikes on this country that began on February 28.

Krzysztof Pawliszak (PAP)

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