Press Release
October 14, 2022

Robin, Umaasang Mag-Positibo ang Joint Oil Exploration sa WPS

Umaasa si Sen. Robinhood "Robin" C. Padilla na magpositibo sa lalong madaling panahon ang mga exploration activities ng Pilipinas para sa langis at gas lalo na sa West Philippine Sea, matapos binigyang diin sa pagdinig sa Senado na may posibilidad ng joint exploration sa Tsina sa naturang lugar.

Iginiit ni Padilla na kailangang kailangan ng Pilipinas na makatuklas at pakinabangan ang langis dahil sa inaasahang kakapusan sa enerhiya sa mga darating na taon.

"Sana po magkaroon ng positibong (resulta) yan," ayon kay Padilla sa pagdinig ng Senado sa 2023 budgets ng National Power Corp. (Napocor), Philippine National Oil Co. (PNOC), at Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM).

Dagdag ni Padilla, malaking tulong din ang polisiya ni Pangulong Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. na ang Pilipinas ay magiging "friends to all (at) enemy to none" pagdating sa pakikitungo sa ibang bansa.

Sa pagdinig nitong Biyernes, naitanong ni Padilla kay PNOC Exploration Corp. Vice President for Upstream Jaime Bacud kung may balita tungkol sa sinabi ng Pangulo na gusto niyang magkaroon ng joint exploration kasama ang China.

Tugon ni Bacud, sa pagkakaalam nila, maaaring may pag-uusap ang Department of Energy sa kanila. "Ang hope namin na maayos po yan," aniya.

Nitong Huwebes, ibinunyag ni Padilla na kasama sa pinagusapan niya at kapwa niyang senador kay Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian kamakailan ang joint exploration para sa langis sa West Philippine Sea. Si Padilla ang may-akda ng Senate Resolution No. 9 na nanawagan kay Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. para ituloy ang usapin ng joint oil and gas exploration sa West Philippine Sea.

Ayon kay Padilla, ipinahayag ni Huang na magiging bukas ang Tsina sa paguusap ukol sa isang Joint Exploration ng West Philippine Sea, "at handa sila na makipag-ugnayan sa ating pamahalaan."

Samantala, ibinunyag ni PNOC President Jesus Posadas na maaaring magkaroon ng paraan para tumanggap ng "tulong" mula sa ibang bansa tulad ng Iran pagdating sa langis.

"It's the President's move today that as per his principle of 'we are friends to everybody and enemies to none,' I think that will open up a different venue," ani Posadas.

"Napakagandang balita noon," tugon ni Padilla, na nakipagugnayan sa kinatawan ng Iran noong nakaraang taon at sinabihang handa silang tumulong sa atin at mag-supply ng langis.


Robin Hopeful for Positive Results from Joint Oil Exploration in WPS

Sen. Robinhood "Robin" C. Padilla has high hopes for positive results from oil and gas exploration activities in the Philippines - especially in the West Philippine Sea - soonest, after learning of reported discussions for joint exploration with China in the area.

Padilla said there is no time to lose for the Philippines to discover and exploit such resources due to the possibile shortage of energy supplies in the coming year.

"Sana po magkaroon ng positibong (resulta) yan (I hope there will be positive results)," Padilla said at the hearing of the Senate for the 2023 budgets of the National Power Corp. (Napocor), Philippine National Oil Co. (PNOC), and Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM).

He added the policy of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. that the Philippines will be "friends to all (and) enemy to none" when it comes to foreign policy should be a big help.

At Friday's hearing, Padilla asked PNOC Exploration Corp. Vice President for Upstream Jaime Bacud if there was any development about the President's pronouncement favoring a joint exploration with China.

Bacud replied that as far as he knows, there may be talks on the matter involving the Department of Energy. "Ang hope namin na maayos po yan (Our hope is that this will be ironed out)," he said.

On Thursday, Padilla disclosed that when he and fellow senators met with Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian recently, one topic was the joint exploration for gas and oil in the West Philippine Sea. Padilla authored Senate Resolution No. 9 calling on the President to resume discussions for joint oil and gas exploration in the West Philippine Sea.

Padilla said Huang informed them that China would be open to talks about joint exploration in the West Philippine Sea, and that it "will remain ready to coordinate with us to resolve issues there."

Meanwhile, PNOC President Jesus Posadas said there may be a chance of avenues opening for the Philippines to receive "help" from other countries like Iran when it comes to oil supply.

"It's the President's move today that as per his principle of 'we are friends to everybody and enemies to none,' I think that will open up a different venue," said Posadas.

"Napakagandang balita noon (That is good news)," replied Padilla, who said he had spoken to representatives of Iran last year and was told that Iran was ready to help supply oil to the Philippines.

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Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qlJDlbjcg0

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