PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. said he is now exploring an alternative to a government-to-government (G2G) agreement with China to push through the long-stalled plans for a joint oil exploration in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) with the Asian giant.
During the Kadiwa ng Pasko Event in Quezon City on Thursday, Marcos said the issues of the “constitutionality” of the G2G agreement has hampered efforts for a Philippine-China exploration.
“So we are saying, the Philippines should be followed [in the terms of the exploration], while the Chinese said it should be them. So that is the roadblock,” Marcos told reporters in Filipino in an interview.
China continues to reject the 2016 Hague arbitral ruling, which invalidated its territorial claims in the WPS, which falls within the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
The issue prompted former President Rodrigo R. Duterte to scrap the joint oil exploration talks last June with China upon the recommendation of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. said before stepping down as chief of the DFA that he urged termination of the three-year discussions—despite best efforts with his counterpart, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi—since it would have triggered a “constitutional crisis.”
Under the 1987 Constitution, the Philippine government should have full control of exploration, development and use of natural resources.
On Thursday, Marcos said the joint exploration may be realized through another arrangement.
“I think there might be other ways so it will not have to be G2G or I don’t know. We’ll have to find a way because we really need it,” Marcos said.
The government is currently trying to develop more indigenous sources of oil and gas to bring down the local prices of both resources as well as local power rates.
“For China, that [new oil sources] are a small thing. But for us, that is a big thing so we need to fight for it and utilize it,” Marcos said.
In October, Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian said the Chinese government also wants the legal issues on the talks to be addressed as soon as possible so the oil exploration could finally start.
Image credits: PCG