The state-run Philippine National Oil Company has already made contact with Russian oil firms as Manila explores alternative sources of petroleum supply, Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said Monday.
Garin did not disclose potential import volumes or the duration of any prospective agreement, saying the government is still waiting for Moscow’s reply. The outreach to Russia is part of a broader effort to diversify supply, with the Philippines also in talks with Thailand, Japan, and Singapore.
The diplomatic push comes after China imposed a ban on refined fuel exports — a development that has raised supply concerns given how heavily the Philippines depends on Chinese diesel. In 2025, the country imported 1.8 billion litres of diesel from China, accounting for 28 percent of local industry demand.
Garin sought to temper concerns over existing arrangements, saying Philippine companies holding long-term oil export contracts with China remain unaffected by the ban on refined fuel exports.
The energy secretary added that the country’s current fuel inventories are sufficient to last through April, buying the government time to firm up alternative supply arrangements before any shortage materializes.
