Marcos Floats China Gas Reset as Oil Crisis Shakes PH Plans
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the worsening global oil crunch could push the Philippines and China to revisit possible joint gas development in the South China Sea. In an interview cited by the report, Marcos said the current energy crisis may serve as an 'impetus' for both sides to finally reach some kind of agreement despite long-running territorial disputes.
The idea matters because the waters claimed by the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea are believed to contain major gas deposits. But for years, any talk of joint exploration has run into hard questions about sovereignty, constitutional limits, and Beijing's sweeping claims over nearly the entire South China Sea. Kaya kahit matagal na itong pinag-uusapan, laging may political wall na bumabangga sa planong ito.
Marcos also signaled that a broader reset in Manila-Beijing ties is likely as global politics are rapidly changing. The report noted that this is the first time he has personally spoken this openly about improving ties with China, after years in which his administration emphasized exposing aggressive actions by Beijing in the West Philippine Sea through its transparency policy.
The timing is not random. The Philippines is dealing with an energy emergency after conflict in the Middle East drove oil prices higher and threatened supply stability. The government has already warned about inflation risks, and the country remains heavily dependent on fuel imports from the region, making any alternative energy discussion more urgent than before.
Even so, any actual joint project would still face major legal and diplomatic hurdles. The Duterte administration also pursued a similar path before those talks were eventually scrapped near the end of its term. So for now, Marcos' remarks look less like a done deal and more like a signal that Manila is willing to reopen a sensitive conversation if the energy crisis keeps getting worse.
Source: Rappler article
