President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced the discovery of natural gas at the Malampaya East-1 (MAE-1) well, the country’s first significant gas find in over a decade, which is expected to boost energy security and reduce dependence on imported fuel.
The reservoir, located five kilometers east of the existing Malampaya field, holds about 98 billion cubic feet of gas, enough to generate nearly 14 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually and supply power to more than 5.7 million households.
Initial tests showed a flow rate of 60 million cubic feet per day, indicating high productivity comparable to the original Malampaya wells.
Marcos said the discovery, which also includes valuable condensate, strengthens the country’s domestic gas supply and supports long-term power stability through responsible development.
Prime Energy, which leads the SC 38 Consortium, said the new field is a breakthrough for Philippine energy independence and could boost Malampaya’s remaining recoverable gas volumes by about 30 percent.
Source: PhilNews24 | January 20, 2026
