The Department of Energy announced that 165 million liters of oil are expected to arrive in the Philippines as part of government efforts to secure fuel supply amid rising tensions in the Middle East involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.
Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said during a Presidential Communications Office briefing on Friday, April 10, that the shipment is part of the agency’s broader target of 318 million liters, equivalent to about 2 million barrels of oil.
“One of the basic tasks of the Department of Energy was to make sure na mayroon tayong langis sa bansa. Kasi noong una po, ang nerbiyos ng lahat ay baka maubusan tayo [ng langis]—pero hindi po nangyari ‘to. Kahit wala po ‘yong committee pa, ginawa na po ‘to ng Presidente, inutos na po sa Department of Energy,” Garin said.
She added that the Philippine National Oil Corporation (PNOC) has been directed to procure additional fuel supplies to supplement stocks held by private oil companies.
“In fact, ang kabuuang 165 million liters po ang ina-acquire ng PNOC,” she said.
The shipments are expected to come from Malaysia, Singapore, India, and Oman, diversifying import sources to reduce dependence on Middle Eastern supply routes.
“So marami pong ibang bansa ang kukunan natin dito, hindi lang po galing po sa Middle East—para hindi po tayo dependent sa Middle East or sa Strait of Hormuz,” Garin added.
According to the DOE, current oil inventory levels remain stable, with reserves sufficient for around 50 days—above the usual 30-day buffer requirement.
Officials clarified that this does not indicate an imminent shortage, as supply is continuously replenished through ongoing imports.
However, global oil price increases continue to affect transportation, agriculture, and other key sectors, prompting continued government monitoring of fuel supply and pricing stability.