Marcos on Middle East tensions: No Filipinos reported dead, injured

Philippine Canadian Inquirer
March 1, 2026

(Screengrab from Bongbong Marcos/Facebook)

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that there were no reported Filipinos dead or injured amid escalating armed conflicts in the Middle East, based on their latest reports on Sunday.

He stated in a video this morning that the Philippine government,  through its embassies and labor attachés in the Middle East, has been closely monitoring the developments in the region since yesterday afternoon to ensure the safety of overseas Filipinos.

“Nais kong i-report sa ating mga kababayan na sa ngayon as of 9 o’clock Sunday [ay] wala po tayong natatanggap na report na may casualty na Pilipino,” Marcos said.

(I would like to report to our countrymen that as of 9 o’clock Sunday morning today, we haven’t received any report yet that there was a Filipino casualty from the armed conflicts.)

“Wala pong Pilipino ang namatay; walang Pilipino ang nasaktan,” he stressed.

(There are no reports yet of Filipinos who were killed or have sustained injuries.)

Marcos also cited their report that Filipinos in the Middle East are currently safe and are taking precautionary measures.

“Sa aming latest report ay ang ating mga kababayan ay nasa safe na lugar, at sila’y nakapunta sa mga bomb shelter kung saan sila, at lumalayo sila doon sa mga bases ng Amerikano upang hindi naman sila mapalapit sa alanganin,” he added.

(Based on our latest report, our countrymen are in a safe place, and they reached the designated bomb shelters in their areas, and they are deliberately keeping their distance from American bases so that their lives won’t be put in danger.)

The conflict erupted in the Middle East on Saturday, February 28, after the US and Israel jointly initiated air strikes on Iran, followed by the latter’s immediate retaliatory attacks against Israel and US bases located in Gulf countries, including Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.