PH eyes bigger share from oil exploration

President Rodrigo Duterte will insist that the Philippines should get a larger share of the oil that may be discovered during the country’s planned joint exploration with China in the West Philippine Sea.

Speaking in Puerto Princesa City on Saturday night, the President stressed that the country needed the oil more to light up areas without electricity, citing Palawan’s brownouts.

“I told China, ‘If there’s oil and you will drill oil there, I will have to insist that we get a bigger share. That’s ours,’” he said.

He added: “They said, ‘That’s also ours.’ Yes, but that’s ours. So we must get a bigger share. What face will I show in Palawan?”

In justifying the Philippines’ bigger share should there be oil discovered, the President said he needed it to light up parts of the country that were without electricity.

Earlier, Malacañang said the joint oil exploration with China may be undertaken in Service Contract (SC) No. 57 and SC 72.

In the case of SC 57, which is under the Philippines’ exclusive zone, China must comply with Philippine laws.

SC 57, awarded to the Philippine National Oil Company Exploration Corp., covers 7,120 square kilometers offshore of northwest Palawan.

State-owned China National Offshore Oil Corp. has reportedly shown interest in being a partner in the joint exploration for SC 57.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit the Philippines later this month, with joint oil exploration in the disputed sea likely to be discussed.