President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said the Philippines is seeking deeper energy cooperation with Japan and Southeast Asian neighbors as instability in the Middle East forces countries across Asia to rethink fuel supply chains, petroleum reserves, and long-term energy security strategies.
During an interview in Malacañang with Japanese media on Monday, President Marcos said the ongoing crisis in the Middle East underscored the urgency of strengthening regional coordination under the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, particularly on energy security and supply resilience.
“Asia is going to start looking for alternative measures in case this happens again,” he said, referring to disruptions in global oil shipments and supply routes, including concerns involving the Strait of Hormuz.
The Filipino leader said ASEAN member states have intensified discussions on securing electricity and fuel supplies, establishing regional petroleum reserves and strengthening the proposed ASEAN power grid.
President Marcos said Japan has become an increasingly important partner in those efforts, citing Tokyo’s assistance in helping the Philippines identify alternative fuel sources and stabilize energy supply chains.
“We are actually very grateful to Japan because Japan has been of great assistance to us in trying to find the different solutions for the supply of the different kinds of fuel,” he said.
He compared the geopolitical impact of the Middle East conflict to the COVID-19 pandemic, saying it has reshaped global trade, transportation and supply chain systems.
“In many ways, the crisis in the Middle East is very much like a pandemic. It has and will continue to change just about everything,” Mr. Marcos said.
The Chief Executive said one of the issues expected to be discussed in Japan is Tokyo’s proposed regional energy resilience initiative, including a reported $10 billion response mechanism for energy security cooperation in Asia.
President Marcos also pointed to growing ASEAN discussions on crude oil stockpiling and emergency fuel reserves. He noted that Indonesia had offered to host a regional oil reserve facility being planned by ASEAN member states.
As this year’s ASEAN chair, he said the Philippines has a responsibility to strengthen regional partnerships and improve coordination between ASEAN and Japan on energy procurement, supply chain management, and fuel reserve systems.
“I think it is important that we do that,” he said.
Mr. Marcos acknowledged that the fuel supply crunch had forced the Philippines to temporarily revive some coal-powered energy generation despite previous efforts to transition away from fossil fuels.
“We have had to return to some methods of producing energy that we have already moved away from,” he said.
“Coal is something that is cheap and relevant to it. However, it is not environmentally friendly,” the President added.
President Marcos said the return to coal-fired power generation was only a short-term response to immediate supply shortages and rising energy demand.
“In the longer term, it will give much greater impetus to all the countries around the Indo-Pacific and all around the world to move away from fossil fuels and move closer to renewables,” he said.
Mr. Marcos emphasized that renewable energy development and technology transfer would remain central to the Philippines’ long-term strategy, noting Japan’s expertise in energy technology and power systems.
President Marcos also disclosed that he recently met former Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, now serving as a special envoy for APEC, to continue discussions on renewable energy cooperation and efforts to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
He said the Philippines continues to balance the need for stable energy supplies with its long-term transition toward cleaner and renewable energy sources.
