Gatchalian seeks to streamline, strengthen PNOC mandate on oil exploration

Senator Win Gatchalian wants to establish a national policy and framework for petroleum exploration and development in the country by amending the charter of the government-owned and controlled Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) with the end goal of reducing the country's dependence on oil imports.

In filing Senate Bill No. 380, Gatchalian is adamant the PNOC should refocus its mandate exclusively on oil and gas exploration and development.

"Mahalaga ang papel ng gobyerno sa pagpapalawig ng petroleum exploration at development sa bansa. Dapat nating mapagtibay ang mandato ng PNOC para palakasin ang industriya lalo na't nakasalalay ang suplay at presyo sa inaangkat nating langis," said Gatchalian.

"PNOC must be empowered to invest in petroleum operation projects, both here and abroad, and should be allowed to retain 50% of its net earnings for local petroleum exploration and development," he added.

Given the nature of petroleum exploration and development as a capital-intensive industry and its importance in achieving energy security and self-sufficiency, Gatchalian said that the government should jumpstart the development of the sector similar to what other countries have done.

However, he noted that in the case of PNOC, which was created almost 50 years ago in 1973, the company has engaged in various activities far from its original mandate which is to provide an adequate and stable supply of petroleum products to meet the domestic requirement and to promote the exploration and development of local petroleum sources. Instead, the company has organized a total of 8 subsidiaries whose involvement ranges from developing geothermal resources to promoting energy efficiency programs.

Gatchalian said there is a need to merge all subsidiaries and PNOC companies into just 1 PNOC for a more coherent and targeted direction and improved operational efficiency. The mother company is trying to undertake downstream oil projects while the Philippine National Oil Company Exploration Corporation (PNOC EC) has not produced a single drop of oil and gas apart from the Malampaya gas field. The Philippine National Oil Company Renewables Corporation (PNOC RC), meanwhile, has been suffering from financial losses for almost 10 years.

"All of these are with the end goal of achieving energy security and self-sufficiency," he ended.

Panukalang amyendahan ang PNOC Charter tungo sa energy security inihain ni Gatchalian

Upang maiwasan ang pag-angkat natin ng langis sa labas ng bansa, nais ni Senador Win Gatchalian na magtatag ang bansa ng pambansang polisiya para sa exploration at development ng langis dito sa pamamagitan ng pag-amyenda sa charter ng Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC), na mayroong mandato na mag-explore ng langis at gas.

Ito ang dahilan kung bakit naghain ang mambabatas ng Senate Bill No. 380 - upang sumentro na lang sa oil and gas exploration and tanging magiging mandato ng PNOC.

"Mahalaga ang papel ng gobyerno sa pagpapalawig ng petroleum exploration at development sa bansa. Dapat nating mapagtibay ang mandato ng PNOC para palakasin ang industriya lalo na't nakasalalay ang suplay at presyo sa inaangkat nating langis," ani Gatchalian.

"Dapat bigyan ng kapangyarihan ang PNOC na mamuhunan sa mga proyekto ng pagpapatakbo ng petrolyo dito at sa ibang bansa, at dapat pahintulutang panatilihin ang 50% ng net earnings nito para sa exploration at development ng langis sa bansa," dagdag niya.

Dahil ang oil exploration at development ay isang industriyang capital-intensive at dahil sa kahalagahan nito sa pagkamit ng bansa ng energy security at self-sufficiency, sinabi ni Gatchalian na dapat pangunahan ng gobyerno ang pagpapaunlad sa sektor katulad ng ginawa ng ibang mga bansa.

Sa kaso raw kasi ng PNOC, na nilikha halos 50 taon na ang nakalilipas buhay noong 1973, ang kumpanya ay nakikibahagi sa iba't ibang mga aktibidad na malayo sa orihinal na mandato nito na magbigay ng sapat at matatag na suplay ng mga produktong petrolyo upang matugunan ang pangangailangan natin sa PIlipinas. Sa halip, ang naturang government-owned and controlled corporation ay lumikha ng walong subsidiaries na nagsasagawa ng iba pang mga proyekto mula sa pagbuo ng geothermal resources hanggang sa pagsulong ng mga energy efficiency programs.

Nakikita ni Gatchalian na kailangan nang pagsamahin ang lahat ng mga subsidiary at kumpanya ng PNOC sa ilalim ng iisang mandato ng PNOC para mas maging epektibo at magkaroon ng mas maayos na direksyon ang pagpapatupad nito ng tungkulin. Halimbawa aniya, ang Philippine National Oil Company Exploration Corporation (PNOC EC) ay hindi man lang nakapagpatayo ng iba pang oil and gas field maliban sa Malampaya gas field. Ang Philippine National Oil Company Renewables Corporation (PNOC RC) naman ay halos 10 taon nang nalulugi.

"Ang pangunahing layunin ng panukalang batas ay para makamit ng bansa ang energy security at energy self-sufficiency," pagtatapos ni Gatchalian.