President Rodrigo Duterte should insist on the Philippines’ right to exploit the resource-rich West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) when he visits China this week, with the Malampaya field off Palawan set to run out of natural gas in less than a decade, a neophyte senator said. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said the impending depletion of the Malampaya Gas Field – one of Luzon’s primary power sources – and the forthcoming expiration of the Malampaya service contract meant that the government should be looking for new natural gas sources in other areas including the West Philippine Sea. Gatchalian, who heads the Senate energy committee, said reducing the country’s dependence on foreign energy sources would be determined by how the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte handles the dispute over West Philippine Sea.

Antiporda, J. ( 2016, October 17). Fight for gas exploration in West PH Sea, Duterte urged. The Manila Times. p. A3.