PETROLIAM Nasional Bhd (PETRONAS) has denied any involvement in reported diesel supplies to the Philippines, adding that it never entered into any arrangements with any party in the country.
“PETRONAS refers to recent media reports on diesel supplies from Malaysia to the Philippines.
The company wishes to clarify that it has not entered into any such arrangement with any party in the Philippines,” it said in a statement yesterday.
Instead it said its utmost priority remains ensuring a reliable and continuous fuel supply for Malaysia.
Yesterday, the Philippine News Agency reported that about 329,000 barrels, or 52.311 mil litres, of diesel from Malaysia had been delivered to the country.
“With the arrival of the Malaysia shipment, the government continues to strengthen domestic supply buffers as global oil markets remain exposed to geopolitical risks linked to ongoing developments in the Middle East,” the Phillippines Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Sharon Garin reportedly said.
The latest arrival of state-procured diesel in the Philippines followed the first delivery of 142,000 barrels, or 22.578 mil liters, from Japan on March 26.
Still on March 26, 7,000 barrels of crude oil from Russia, a non-traditional trading partner, arrived in the country through the Sierra Leone-flagged carrier Sara Sky.
Reports say efforts to beef up diesel supply in the Philippines is in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to ensure a stable and sufficient oil supply amid heightened external market uncertainty.
The DOE also said the arrival of the second shipment reflects the government’s ongoing efforts to boost domestic supply.
News of the shipment comes as oil industry sources said diesel and gasoline prices are expected to go down next week as a result of the ceasefire in the Middle East.
The country is under a State of National Energy Emergency declared by Marcos Jr. on March 24, 2026.
The declaration was triggered by severe global supply chain disruptions following the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East on February 28, 2026, which led to skyrocketing fuel prices and threats to domestic energy security. —Apr 12, 2026
Main image: Bloomberg
