MANILA – Malacañang assured that the government will safeguard national interests in the event of a joint oil and gas exploration deal with China, amid ongoing energy challenges.

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said the administration would not compromise the country’s rights if the proposed exploration pushes through.

“Lagi naman, kung ano ang nararapat sa atin at kung anong karapatan natin, ‘yan naman ang ipinaglalaban ng Pangulo at ng administrayon na ito (Whatever is rightfully ours and whatever our rights are, that’s what the President and this administration are pushing for),” Castro said in an interview.

“So, walang mawawala. Walang mawawalang interes, walang ipamimigay na interes. Basta tayo laging sincere, walang secret deal (So, nothing will be lost. No interest will be lost, and no interest will be surrendered and we remain sincere, there are no secret deals),” she added.

The statement came after the Chinese Embassy in Manila reported that talks between the Philippines and China on joint oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea have made “positive progress.”

According to the embassy, both sides conducted “in-depth discussions” on joint development in disputed waters.

“Setting aside differences and pursuing joint development is the right path to uphold peace and stability in the South China Sea and deliver benefits to countries in the region and their peoples,” it said.

Data from the Department of Energy in 2020 showed that the West Philippine Sea may contain more than six million barrels of oil and over seven billion cubic feet of natural gas categorized as undiscovered resources.

Among the areas identified as having significant natural gas potential is Recto Bank, also known as Reed Bank, which lies within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

China, however, continues to assert expansive claims over most of the South China Sea, including parts of the West Philippine Sea, despite the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated those claims.