Energy Security

On 12 July 2016, an arbitral tribunal constituted under Annex VII of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) issued a landmark award in The Republic of the Philippines v. The People’s Republic of China. The tribunal held that China’s claims to historic rights within the “nine-dash line” had no lawful effect beyond entitlements available under UNCLOS, and it found multiple Chinese actions unlawful vis-à-vis the Philippines’ rights in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

President Marcos clarified that while the "idea and principle" of a regional fuel reserve, covering crude oil to refined products like jet fuel, gained immediate consensus, mechanics such as location, contributions, and timelines are pending energy ministers' meetings.

Manila‑Beijing oil‑talk overtures now sit at the intersection of economics, law, and geopolitics, where any potential joint project will be scrutinized as much for its legal and sovereignty implications as for its promise of shared resources

MANILA, Philippines — The 1Sambayan coalition insists that any joint energy exploration with foreign states in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) must explicitly affirm Philippine ownership of the oil and gas resources there.