Metro Manila, Philippines – Energy Secretary Sharon Garin on Thursday confirmed the arrival of the first tanker with diesel to boost fuel supply.
In a Facebook post, Garin shared photos of the vessel and noted that more fuel will be delivered in the coming days or weeks.
“We’ve been working on this for three weeks, so to me, it looks like the most beautiful ship ever,” Garin said.
Energy Undersecretary Alessandro Sales, during a Senate hearing said the agency is expecting more than 140,000 barrels of diesel by the end of March.
Earlier on Thursday, March 26, the Energy Department shared its plan to purchase up to two million barrels in line with the declaration of a state of national energy emergency.
Read: PH to buy 2M barrels of diesel – DOE
Four hundred thousand barrels of oil will come from Southeast Asian countries and the rest from other regions.
Palace press officer Claire Castro also confirmed the arrival of a Russian vessel with more than 700,000 barrels of crude oil in Bataan with Petron Corporation as consignee.
Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs said it will continue to cooperate with all possible partners in addressing the country’s national interests.
“On the matter of energy security, the DFA defers to the DOE in determining the best way forward to secure the country’s energy needs amid the current crisis,” it said in a statement.
