The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has issued a pastoral statement calling for an end to the ongoing war in the Middle East and other global hotspots, warning of severe consequences for overseas Filipino workers and vulnerable households at home.

The statement, signed by CBCP president and Lipa Archbishop Gilberta Garcera, expressed grave concern over the current US-Iran conflict and its far-reaching implications, while citing that other volatile areas in the Philippines, Asia, and worldwide must not be forgotten.

The bishops rejected what they described as the normalization of violence, the targeting of civilians, acts of terror and collective punishment.

They also emphasized that modern warfare inflicts irreversible environmental damage through explosions from bombs, missiles, and heavy artillery that pollute the air, soil and water.

Garcera said that every human life is sacred, all humanity possesses God-given dignity, and every nation must seek justice through dialogue instead of destruction.

CBCP also highlighted that the crisis deeply impacts the Philippines, specifically pointing to the safety and livelihoods of overseas Filipino workers stationed in the Middle East, as well as the anxiety felt by their families.