Private firms with service contracts in the West Philippine Sea received “resume-to-work” notices from the Department of Energy on Monday, after President Rodrigo Duterte lifted a moratorium on oil and gas exploration in the area and China said it had reached a "consensus" with the Philippines in working in the disputed waterway. PXP Energy Corp. said it received on Monday the notice from the DOE in relation to its operating interest in Service Contract 72 in northwest Palawan, while PXP’s subsidiary, Forum Energy Ltd. also received its notice for its operating interest in SC 75 (Recto Bank). Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi confirmed the development in a briefing at Malacanang as he stressed that the joint exploration with China in the waterway "does not weaken our position in the arbitral decision nor does it give away our sovereign rights."

Flores, A. M. S. (2020, October 20). DOE allows work to resume in WPS; China joint dev't up. Manila Standard, pp. A1, A2.