Department of Energy (DOE) Spokesperson Felix William Fuentebella believes that the proposed joint exploration for oil and gas between the Philippines and China in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) can still "move forward".
Responding to a question during the final Pre-SONA (State of the Nation Address) Forum press conference Thursday, July 22, Fuentebella confirmed that both governments were still in talks regarding the joint exploration.
However, he stressed that whatever progress that will happen should be in accordance with the provisions of the 1987 Constitution.
Ironically, the question on the future of the proposed joint exploration was asked on Zoom by a Chinese reporter from a Chinese media outfit.
"I was going to get an update from you Anyway, I'm kidding," Fuentebella told the foreign journalist, tongue-in-cheek.
"So, what's the update? Our governments are talking, right? But as far as our government is concerned...we are bound by the provisions of our Constitution. Meaning to say, we can talk to you but our rules will be limited by the provisions of the Philippine Constitution," said the DOE undersecretary.
"And because of that, there is a need to further explore what kind of treaty or what kind of treaty or what kind of agreement we can come up with. However, if we follow the Philippine Constitution, we can apply the current 60-40 arrangement that we also apply to the other nations or to the other private contractors whether Filipino or foreign," he explained.
Referring to the 60-40 split in favor of the Philippines, Fuentebella said, "That could already be pursued because that is what has been practiced before even during the time of Prime Minister Virata in the 1970s and 80s as far as our country is concerned."
"So that is the limitation and those are the challenges. But if we can move forward? Yes, but we have to follow our Constitution. That is our perspective from the Philippine government," the agency official said.
It has been almost a year since President Duterte lifted the moratorium on oil and gas exploration in the resource-rich WPS.
For years, the Philippines and China have had competing claims in the WPS, which is part of the larger South China Sea (SCS). In July 2016, the Philippines gained a historic victory in its international arbitration case against China's expansive claims in the SCS, although this has never been recognized by the latter.
Manila-Beijing relations under the current Duterte administration have been very friendly. President Duterte will end his term in Malacañang in June 2022.