Energy Secretary Sharon Garin on Saturday announced the arrival of more than 300,000 barrels of diesel ordered by the Philippine government to strengthen the country’s fuel stockpile amid the ongoing Middle East crisis.
“Dumating na!” Garin said in a Facebook post.
She said the shipment from the Philippine National Oil Company–Exploration Corporation (PNOC-EC), sourced from Malaysia, totals 329,000 barrels or over 52 million liters of diesel.
The delivery is part of the government’s effort to build up fuel reserves “while the Middle East war is not over,” she said.
The shipment is part of a larger 900,000-barrel diesel import program scheduled to arrive this April in three batches of around 300,000 barrels each. The next two deliveries are expected in the second and third week of the month, sourced from North Asia, India, and Oman.
The government had earlier imported 142,000 barrels from Japan as part of a total 1.042 million-barrel diesel procurement.
The Department of Energy (DOE) said the latest delivery supports the government’s oil diplomacy efforts under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. through Executive Order No. 110.
Officials said the buildup strengthens supply resilience amid global uncertainty, noting that the country currently holds around 75.052 million liters of fuel, equivalent to about 50 days of supply, with diesel inventory at 2.516 million liters, or roughly 47 days.
The DOE said it will continue monitoring supply levels and coordinating with industry stakeholders to ensure stable distribution and avoid disruptions in transport, logistics, and power generation.
As a net oil importer, the Philippines remains exposed to global price and supply shocks, prompting the government to intensify efforts to secure adequate fuel reserves and maintain market stability.
