Senate Majority Leader Francis "Tol" Tolentino has filed a bill seeking to develop the resource-rich Talampas ng Pilipinas to drive national economic growth.

Tolentino made the move following the country's victory with the government's submission of the map of the undersea landmass to the International Seabed Authority (ISA) last month.

Under Senate Bill No. 2996, Tolentino targets the creation of a multi-agency development body that would secure and oversee the sustainable development of the 13.5-million hectare region, which has been ruled as part of the country's continental shelf by the United Nations.

Straddling Luzon's north-eastern seaboard, Tolentino hailed the Talampas ng Pilipinas (‘Talampas’) “as both a pillar of national sovereignty and a reservoir of untapped potential.”

“This maritime territory promises transformative opportunities, from renewable energy sources and marine biodiversity conservation to ecotourism development,” Tolentino stated in his bill’s explanatory note.

“[This would] catalyze inclusive economic growth, generate employment, and uplift communities nationwide,” he added.

By establishing the Talampas ng Pilipinas Development Authority (TPDA), the bill envisions a central body that would unify efforts and coordinate research to unlock the potential of the largely unexplored marine territory, while also ensuring its sustainable protection.

Tolentino's bill enumerates the TPDA’s tasks as follows:

• Crafting a science-based holistic development framework aligned with national priorities;
• Coordinating government agencies, local governments, private enterprises, and civil society to optimize resource management and investment;
• Promoting public-private partnerships and innovation in renewable energy, blue economy initiatives, and ecotourism; and
• Safeguarding ecological balance through strict environmental protocols and marine biodiversity protection.

The agency will be steered by a board of directors headed by the secretary of the recently reconstituted Department of Economy Planning and Development (DEPDev).

To complement the TPDA, Tolentino has filed a separate bill, SB 2995, for the creation of the Talampas ng Pilipinas Oil Corporation, which would explore the region's vast energy potential.

Tapping oil deposits

This proposed measure will complement Senate Bill No. 2995, which he also filed, that seeks to create the Talampas ng Pilipinas Oil Corporation (TPOC).

“Creating the TPOC is the first step towards reducing our country's dependence on costly imported fuel, and building our own upstream oil industry. We can harness the Talampas ng Pilipinas to help provide our energy and development needs,” Tolentino said.

“This vast, untapped and unexplored region will be the hope for our country's perennial energy deficit,” added the senator, referring to the resource-rich region, whose map was officially deposited by the Philippines to the records of the International Seabed Authority last March 27.

“Compared to the Malampaya gas field [in Palawan], the ‘Talampas' is far larger and richer in resources. It consists of 24 million hectares of undersea features, including a 13.5-million hectare outer section,” he noted.

In his explanatory note to SB 2995, Tolentino provided a snapshot of the state of the country's oil sector, as follows:

• PH imports approximately 170 million barrels of crude and petroleum products annually to meet its energy requirements.
• PH’s major suppliers include Saudi Arabia (est. 80 million barrels) and Kuwait (40 million barrels); and
• The rest of PH’s imports come from neighboring Malaysia and Indonesia (collectively, 30 million barrels), and Russia (20 million barrels).

Amid its huge oil requirement, Tolentino noted that domestic crude production remains modest, averaging only around 23,000 barrels per day.

“This comes primarily from the Galoc oil field in the offshore Palawan basin,” noted the senator from Tagaytay.

“This year, it is estimated that our petroleum demand could reach 200 million barrels. With world oil prices reaching record high levels, which have a direct impact on Filipino consumers and industries,” he added.

“It is high time for us to act decisively to reduce import dependence and strengthen energy security,” concluded Tolentino.

Tolentino is the principal author of the landmark Philippine Maritime Zones Act (RA 12064), which enshrined the Talampas and the West Philippine Sea under domestic law, in accordance with international law and principles.