President Marcos has conducted an aerial inspection of the Malampaya Phase 4 Project in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

Marcos led the inspection on Thursday, July 23, to personally assess the operations of the vital facility that supplies natural gas to power plants in Luzon.

The inspection was part of the President’s visit to Palawan, during which he led a series of official events and engagements.

According to Malacañang, Marcos' inspection comes as the government accelerates the development of the Malampaya gas field, the country's only commercially producing natural gas field, whose reserves were previously projected to be depleted by 2027 without additional exploration and drilling activities.

Government data showed that imported energy sources accounted for 52 percent, or 35.18 million tons of oil equivalent (MTOE), of the country's total primary energy supply in 2025, while indigenous sources contributed the remaining 48 percent.

Of the country's total natural gas supply, 55 percent came from imported liquefied natural gas (LNG), while 45 percent was supplied by the Malampaya gas field.

Under the Malampaya Phase 4 Project, three new wells are being developed: 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 around 222 billion cubic feet of natural gas.

The Department of Energy (DOE) said the pipeline connection linking the MAE-1 and Camago-3 wells to the existing Malampaya subsea production system was completed in June 2026.

The government targets the delivery of new gas supply from the two wells by the fourth quarter of 2026 while preparations continue for the drilling of the Bagong Pag-asa-1 well.

According to the DOE, the newly discovered reserves are equivalent to about 31.46 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, enough to power an estimated 13.11 million households for one year.

The successful drilling of the MAE-1 and Camago-3 wells is also expected to extend the productive life of the Malampaya gas field from 2027 to 2034.

Marcos has directed the DOE to pursue additional gas exploration in other parts of the country, provide investment incentives, review policies and existing service contracts related to upstream gas production, particularly in areas near Malampaya, and explore the aggregation of indigenous gas purchases.

During his Palawan visit, Marcos also inaugurated the Ibato-Iraan Small Reservoir Irrigation Project (SRIP) in Aborlan, Palawan.

The President described it as a major government investment to strengthen agricultural productivity, improve food security, and help farmers adapt to the effects of climate change.

The Ibato-Iraan SRIP, implemented by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), is the largest irrigation project in Palawan and the island’s first reservoir-type irrigation system.

The project is expected to provide a reliable year-round water supply to more than 1,072 hectares of agricultural land and directly benefit 425 farmer-beneficiaries in Aborlan.

In his speech during the inauguration, Marcos underscored the importance of expanding irrigation infrastructure as the country continues to face prolonged dry spells and unpredictable weather patterns.

“Sa panahon ngayon, lalo na sa gitna ng tag-tuyot o El Niño, hindi na puwedeng umasa lang tayo sa pagdating ng ulan upang matubigan ang ating mga pananim (At this time, especially amid the drought or El Niño, we can no longer rely solely on the arrival of rain to provide water for our crops)," the President said.

Marcos also said the Ibato-Iraan SRIP would ensure a stable supply of irrigation water throughout the year, resulting in increased rice production, higher vegetable yields, and improved incomes for farmers.