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A vessel containing 142,000 barrels or 22.57 liters of diesel procured by the government as seen in a Deparmtent of Energy-released image on Thursday, March 26, 2026.
DOE / Sharon Garin / Handout
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has received its first government-procured diesel shipment, totaling 22.58 million liters, as the Marcos administration moves to boost fuel supply amid global oil volatility.
The Department of Energy (DOE) said the cargo, equivalent to about 142,000 barrels, forms part of efforts to stabilize supply under the Emergency Energy Security Program.
The program was launched following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s issuance of Executive Order No. 110, which declared a national energy emergency.
Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said the shipment is part of a broader plan to secure up to 2 million barrels of additional fuel supply.
"Andito na! (It's here!) Government procured diesel has arrived in Luzon. This is the first delivery and there will be more deliveries in the coming days or weeks," Garin said in a social media post.
She added that procurement efforts had been underway for several weeks. The department did not immediately disclose from where the shipment was sourced.
Supply buildup
Authorities said the arrival of diesel Thursday comes as the country faces rising fuel prices driven by global supply disruptions, including tensions affecting key oil shipping routes.
"Patuloy ang pagtutok ng DOE upang madagdagan ang supply ng langis sa bansa," Garin said.
(The DOE continues to focus on increasing the country's oil supply.)
Officials said building up fuel inventory is critical to sustaining transport, power generation and economic activity amid current conditions. The Philippines is a net importer of oil, and has been heavily dependent on Middle East sources, making it particularly vulnerable to Iran's restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier this week, 700,000 barrels of crude oil consigned to oil firm Petron Corp. arrived in Bataan—the country's first Russian-sourced supply in five years—after the United States temporarily lifted its sanctions on Russian oil.
