The Philippines has made its first major natural gas discovery in more than ten years following the identification of a new gas reservoir east of the Malampaya field off the coast of Palawan.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the newly discovered reservoir, known as Malampaya East-1, is located about five kilometers east of the existing Malampaya Gas Field. Initial estimates indicate that the reservoir contains around 98 billion cubic feet of natural gas.

According to government figures, this volume of gas is equivalent to approximately 14 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, which could supply power for about 5.7 million households, 9,500 business establishments, or 200,000 schools for one year.

Energy officials said the discovery strengthens the country’s energy security and highlights the continued potential of domestic natural gas resources to support reliable power supply in the years ahead.