The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Sunday assured the public that any future oil and gas exploration agreement with China—or any other foreign partner—will strictly adhere to the Philippine Constitution and protect the country’s sovereign rights.
The agency moved to calm concerns over renewed discussions with Beijing, emphasizing that it will closely coordinate with relevant government offices to ensure any arrangement remains “anchored in the primacy of Philippine sovereignty.”
“Any decision to pursue, structure, or conclude an agreement on oil and gas cooperation, with China or any other foreign government, will be made solely in accordance with the Philippine Constitution and the country’s laws, jurisprudence and regulations, and in full assertion of its sovereign prerogatives,” the DFA said in a statement.
Officials noted that the renewed engagement follows a directive from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to explore options for energy stability amid ongoing hostilities in the Middle East involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.
The Philippines previously entered a framework agreement with China in 2018 under former President Rodrigo Duterte to establish terms for joint exploration in Recto Bank. The resource-rich area lies within the country’s exclusive economic zone but is also being claimed by Beijing. Negotiations stalled over sovereignty concerns, leading Duterte to terminate the deal before stepping down in 2022.
Citing “global energy uncertainties,” the DFA underscored that it is within the President’s prerogative to “explore all lawful and viable options to attain energy security and ensure affordable and stable energy supply for the national economy and the Filipino people.”
Fuel prices have surged significantly since the outbreak of the Iran war on February 28, prompting Marcos to declare a state of national energy emergency on March 24 to ensure the availability and orderly distribution of fuel and other essential goods.