The Philippine President challenged anyone questioning his fitness to join him in the gym.
Beijing rejects the allegation as a "farce", while Manila claims the poison was used to kill fish and deprive troops stationed in the area of food.
Nations in the region have been keen to reach agreements as their economies are heavily reliant on Middle East energy.
Asia relies heavily on oil and gas from the Gulf, and shortages and higher prices are starting to bite.
It comes as a ship carrying barrels of Russian crude oil arrived in the Philippines earlier this week.
BBC News Asia Business Correspondent Suranajana Tewari spoke to people taking to the streets of Manila.
The President says the country will procure one million barrels of oil to add to the current stock.
The Philippines is the first country to declare a state of national energy emergency in response to the war in Iran.
BBC News Asia Business Correspondent Suranjana Tewari reports from a petrol station in Manila.
