Oil Exploration in WPS to Resume

After years of cancellation, President Rodrigo Duterte has finally ordered the resumption of oil exploration in the West Philippine Sea.

The late President Noynoy Aquino decided to cancel oil explorations due to the rising tensions between the Philippines and China.

Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Alfonso Cusi said that one of the results of the Hague ruling in 2016 is that it showed the legitimacy of our claim of the West Philippines Sea and can finally explore oil deposits in it.

Cusi has also said that the DOE has endorsed three new petroleum service contracts in the West Philippine Sea to Duterte.

All the contracts are in the exploration stage, this includes activities such as the study of the geological and geophysical characteristics of the area and the conduct of on-site survey and drilling activities. (ASC)