Davao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib on Tuesday clarified that his province’s reported oil negotiations with Malaysia were not conducted with state oil firm Petronas but were instead part of an exploratory initiative involving Malaysia’s monarch.
Jubahib issued the clarification in a live statement aired on local network One DavNor following Petronas Malaysia’s denial of any involvement in negotiations with the provincial government.
The governor said the discussions were undertaken directly with the King of Malaysia, His Highness Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Sultan Iskandar of Johor, and stressed that the initiative remains exploratory and may or may not materialize.
He said his move was prompted by the global fuel supply crisis driven by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has also affected local markets.
“I would like to make things clear once and for all to dispel public confusion and put an end to unconfirmed speculations. The continuing Middle East conflict has prompted governments around the world to respond to the global crisis on fuel supply. This problem is felt in our domestic market, and our province is clearly not spared,” Jubahib said.
“As governor of the province, I felt the urgency that something has to be done on my capacity to help remedy the situation in our province and prevent an impending economic catastrophe,” he added.
Jubahib said his existing international ties with the Malaysian monarch led him to seek assistance in sourcing up to 44 million liters of diesel for the province.
“My statement to the media was clear, that our economic cooperation with the Malaysian Highness is purely negotiation. It is exploratory in nature, meaning our initiative to seek help with them may or may not prosper,” he said.
He emphasized that he has no direct communication with Petronas and that his efforts were not intended to bypass legal procedures in either Malaysia or the Philippines.
“Any development that comes from this international partnership, should it prosper, will be coordinated properly with the Department of Energy (DOE), being the appropriate governing agency, for proper procurement procedures where options can be either through a Government-to-Government method or may be passed on to the private sector to shoulder the procurement cost,” Jubahib said.
The governor reiterated that the initiative was driven by the need to address rising fuel prices and their impact on the local economy.
“I wish to emphasize once again that our exploratory engagement with the Highness is borne out of the necessity as Local Chief Executive of the Province faced with a difficult situation to carry out my mandate to look after the welfare of my constituents,” he said.
“If this negotiation fails, I shall not stop finding other solutions to this crisis, by finding alternative sources. The soaring prices of fuel have already affected prices of all commodities and services, making life more difficult for all public consumers,” the governor said.
“I cannot afford to let my constituents from Davao del Norte suffer without me doing anything to alleviate their condition,” he added.
Jubahib called on the public, the private sector, and other stakeholders, “including the media, to unite during these difficult times.”
“Let us all be proactive in helping our government exhaust all the necessary means to remedy the worsening economic situation and uplift each other, especially the most vulnerable,” he said.
“I will not stand by in silence. I will rise, act, and be part of the solution for my people,” he added.
