Hontiveros urges DOE to promote oil exploration in West Philippine Sea sans partnership with China

Philippine companies should be encouraged by the Department of Energy to venture into oil and gas exploration in the West Philippine Sea without partnering with China, Senator Risa Hontiveros said on Friday.

In a statement, Hontiveros said Filipino service contractors that had been allowed to explore in the disputed waters should be one with the government in asserting the country's sovereignty.

“Unless China honors our victory over our Exclusive Economic Zone in the WPS, there can be no genuine joint venture,” she said.

In 2016, an international tribunal ruling invalidated China's massive claims in the South China Sea, a portion of which the Philippines call the West Philippine Sea. Beijing, however, has repeatedly ignored the decision.

Hontiveros said that after President Rodrigo Duterte lifted the moratorium on oil and gas exploration in areas covered by Service Contracts 59, 72, and 75 in the West Philippine Sea in October, Filipino company PXP Energy started joint venture discussions with China National Offshore Oil Corporation, one of the largest oil companies belonging to China.

This, despite PXP Energy having been harassed by Chinese boats in Recto Bank in 2011, according to Hontiveros.

“We must not forget such incidents because China started this hostility in our own waters. What assurance can Beijing give that it will not do the same now?” she said.

Recto Bank is part of SC 72 and the senator said the abundance of gas and oil in the area should prod the DOE to explore it unilaterally.

Citing information from the DOE, Hontiveros said Recto Bank alone possesses natural gas worth an estimated US$ 19.9 billion, and oil worth US$ 2.1 billion.

“Hindi din maikakaila na ikalalakas din ng ating ekonomiya ang mabibigay na yaman ng WPS. Kaya dapat natin itong protektahan, alagaan, at angkinin. Hindi lang dahil kailangan natin ito, kundi dahil karapatan natin ito,” she said.

Chinese partner not required

Energy Secretary Alfonso, however, emphasized earlier that the government’s move to lift the temporary suspension of oil exploration activities in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) is a unilateral decision, noting that companies doing petroleum-related activities can resume works with or without tapping a Chinese partner. 

“If they [service contractors] want to negotiate with CNOOC (China National Offshore Oil Corporation), they can do that [but] that is not a precondition for them to resume the works,” Cusi said.

The Energy chief noted that service contractors can explore commercial operations with CNOOC “if they cannot do it by themselves and they need a partner.”

The DOE earlier affirmed its commitment to a possible joint oil and gas exploration with China in the disputed waters after the Philippine government lifted the moratorium. — Dona Magsino with Ted Cordero/RSJ, GMA News