Senator Pia Cayetano is advocating for the development of indigenous gas production to ensure a long-term solution to energy security and reliability.
Cayetano made the remarks during a visit to the Malampaya gas platform off El Nido town on Friday, June 28.
She emphasized that with the impending shortage of supplies due to the depleting reserves of the current Malampaya gas field, the solution would be to secure energy reliability and security through local production.
As chairperson of the Senate Committee on Energy, Cayetano stressed the need for greater involvement in ensuring energy security and reliability, highlighting an imbalance between Metro Manila and the provinces.
“Case in point, we were here and while taking a point, we lost power, and that is something people from Manila don’t experience as much as in the province. So, simply put, we are prioritizing Manila, which is not fair, and policymakers like me should be aware of,” Cayetano said in an interview with media after her visit to the Malampaya platform.
Meanwhile, Prime Energy General Manager and Managing Director Donnabel Kuizon Cruz stated that they are in the preparation stage for further explorations despite the presence of resources, emphasizing the meticulous preparation required for the process.
“This is where the exploration and development of gas come in. We know definitely that the pressure of gas in the existing reservoir is decreasing, and the only way to increase gas production is by drilling new wells in the same reservoir. We know there is gas there; we just have to extract it,” Cruz explained.
“To do that requires investment, so there needs to be a project to execute that. We have already started, and the plan is to have new gas production by 2026, not only to increase production but also to extend the life of the platform,” she added, noting the aging of the platform and the need for a program to ensure its safe and continuous operation for more years.
Furthermore, Cayetano elaborated that energy reliability and security are crucial for improving the economy, which cannot be achieved with daily power interruptions of 2-4 hours.
She emphasized that achieving energy reliability, ensuring 24-hour power availability, and energy security, ensuring availability to all, require the utilization of indigenous energy resources, reducing dependence on imports subject to fluctuating international supply and pricing beyond local control.
“There are many factors affecting our energy security when we lack our own sources,” she said.
“That’s what I hope to contribute to the discussion and policymaking,” she added.
Prime Infra President and CEO Guillaume Lucci expressed appreciation to Cayetano for her visit and personal inspection of the Malampaya platform, affirming support for its operation.
Lucci also reiterated the company’s commitment to supporting government programs for the development of indigenous energy resources.
“And it’s very rewarding to find ourselves in a position where, finally, all the work done behind the scenes, which no one is fully aware of, to keep the lights on day in and day out, is witnessed by a member of the Senate. So we are very grateful to Senator Cayetano for taking the time to visit,” he said.
