Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday conducted an aerial inspection of the Malampaya Phase 4 Project amid efforts to strengthen the country's energy security by increasing domestic natural gas production and reducing reliance on imported fuel.
According to Philippines News Agency, the Presidential Communications Office announced that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. conducted the aerial inspection to personally assess the operations of the vital Malampaya gas field. This facility plays a crucial role in supplying natural gas to power plants in Luzon.
The inspection coincides with the administration's push to accelerate the development of the Malampaya gas field, the only commercially producing natural gas field in the country. Its reserves were previously expected to be depleted by 2027 without further exploration and drilling activities.
President Marcos has instructed the Department of Energy to pursue additional gas exploration in other parts of the Philippines. The government aims to provide investment incentives, review policies, and existing service contracts related to upstream gas production, especially in areas near Malampaya. Additionally, there is a focus on exploring the aggregation of indigenous gas purchases.
Between July 2022 and July 2026, the government awarded 14 new petroleum service contracts covering prospective areas in Cagayan, Pangasinan, Zambales, offshore Palawan, Cebu, Leyte, and the Sulu Sea.
Government data revealed that in 2025, imported energy sources accounted for 52 percent, or 35.18 million tons of oil equivalent, of the country's total primary energy supply. Indigenous sources contributed the remaining 48 percent. Of the total natural gas supply, 55 percent was imported as liquefied natural gas, while 45 percent was sourced from the Malampaya gas field.
Under the Malampaya Phase 4 Project, three new wells are under development: Malampaya East-1 (MAE-1), Camago-3, and Bagong Pag-asa-1. The MAE-1 and Camago-3 wells were successfully drilled and tested in January and March 2026, respectively, with combined initial estimated reserves of about 222 billion cubic feet of natural gas.
The Department of Energy stated that the pipeline connecting the two wells to the existing Malampaya subsea production system was completed in June. The government aims to deliver new gas supply from the MAE-1 and Camago-3 wells by the fourth quarter of 2026, while preparations continue for the drilling of the Bagong Pag-asa-1 well.
The newly discovered reserves are equivalent to about 31.46 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, sufficient to power approximately 13.11 million households for one year. The additional reserves are expected to extend the productive life of the Malampaya gas field from 2027 to 2034.
