Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi (File photo)
MANILA – Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Alfonso Cusi has vowed to take necessary steps to protect oil and gas resources in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) should any foreign state be engaged in petroleum activities without any permission from his office.
Cusi made the statement Wednesday supporting President Rodrigo Duterte’s statement in his weekly Talk to the People Monday asserting the country’s exclusive licensing authority over petroleum and other resources in the West Philippine Sea.
He said only the Philippine government, through the DOE, may issue licenses to drill for oil and gas resources within its territory -- its islands, internal waters, territorial sea, exclusive economic zone, and continental shelf.
“Should any foreign state engage in petroleum activities inside the Philippine petroleum jurisdiction, the DOE shall take the necessary steps to protect our licensees and preserve our resources,” he added.
But Cusi said the DOE “shall defer to the sole prerogative of the President regarding any security option”.
Amid the presence of Chinese vessels in the Julian Felipe Reef, Duterte earlier said he would deploy military ships in the West Philippine Sea should China conduct its own oil drilling in the waters within the Philippine EEZ.
Moreover, Cusi said the DOE will “conform to any decision that the Department of Foreign Affairs might take regarding the ongoing informal negotiations on oil and gas cooperation with China”.
The Philippines and China signed a memorandum of understanding in 2019 to move forward talks and possible areas of cooperation on oil and gas explorations in the West Philippine Sea.
“Meanwhile, the DOE continues to develop the uncontested Philippine EEZ and continental shelf through the resumption of petroleum operations by our licensees and the award of new petroleum areas. The Philippines remains in business, Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) and China, notwithstanding,” he added. (PNA)
