Over 300K barrels of diesel arrive in PH amid Middle East crisis

Energy Secretary Sharon Garin on Saturday announced the arrival of over 300,000 barrels of diesel ordered by the Philippine government to boost the country’s stockpile of fuel amid the ongoing Middle East crisis.

“Dumating na!” Garin said in a Facebook post.

(It has arrived.)

The Energy chief said the Philippine National Oil Company-Exploration Corp.’s (PNOC-EC) shipment from Malaysia totals 329,000 barrels, or over 52 million liters, of diesel.

The diesel shipment by the government “stock up on supply while the Middle East war is not over.”

“Such a complex world isn’t it? Someone from the Americas starts a war in the Middle East and causes suffering in Asia,” Garin said.

The shipment forms part of the 900,000 barrels of diesel set to arrive in the country this April, which will be delivered in three batches consisting of 300,000 each.

The next two batches of diesel, meanwhile, are expected to arrive by the second and third week of this month. 

The second batch will be sourced from North Asia or India while the last batch will be ordered from Oman.

The 900,000 barrels of diesel ordered by the government are also part of a larger order of 1.042 million barrels of diesel, of which 142,000 barrels arrived from Japan last March 26.

In a statement, the Department of Energy (DOE) said the latest delivery is also part of the government’s broader oil diplomacy pursuant to the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. under Executive Order No. 110.

“This latest shipment from Malaysia further strengthens our supply position at a time when external risks remain and the situation in the Middle East continues to evolve,” Garin said.

“The government is taking deliberate and forward-looking steps to build up available supply, support essential sectors, and help ensure that the country remains prepared for possible disruptions in the global oil market,” she added.

On April 3, the DOE said the country has 75.052 million liters of fuel supply which is expected to be enough for 50 days.

The country currently has 2.516 million liters (47.26 days’ worth) of diesel.

The DOE, meanwhile, said it will continue to pursue all necessary measures, including close coordination with concerned government entities and industry stakeholders, to monitor inventory levels, facilitate the timely distribution of incoming fuel volumes, and prevent supply bottlenecks that may affect transport, logistics, power generation, and other vital economic activities.

The Energy Department also reiterated that the Philippines—as a net importer of petroleum products—remains vulnerable to external developments that may affect both price and supply.

“In response, the government continues to move with urgency and discipline to reinforce fuel availability, maintain orderly market conditions, and safeguard consumer welfare,” it said. —VAL, GMA News