By Argyll Geducos
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the Philippines and Russia are moving to establish a structured system for petroleum supplies, shifting away from the ad hoc purchases made during past global oil crises.
Speaking after the ASEAN–Russia Commemorative Summit, Marcos explained that both countries are exploring deeper energy cooperation to secure another reliable source of fuel for the Philippines.
“Now we are beginning to put that system in place… it will be very good for the Philippines to have another assured lifeline when it comes to petroleum products,” he said.
While no firm agreements were reached in his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Marcos noted that both sides agreed to continue developing initiatives started during earlier supply disruptions.
The President emphasized the need to pursue “non-traditional partners” like Russia to safeguard energy security, especially as global conflicts can suddenly cut off fuel supplies.
He acknowledged that sourcing petroleum regularly from Russia remains complicated due to geopolitical considerations, but expressed confidence that both countries could find ways to overcome challenges if committed to the partnership.
