MANILA — A large shipment of diesel has arrived at the Port of Subic Bay for the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC), the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) said on Tuesday, April 21, 2026.
The delivery contained about 44,119 metric tons, or roughly 329,505 barrels of diesel. Officials said the shipment is part of efforts to boost fuel reserves and help stabilize supply amid global energy concerns.
According to SBMA official Ronnie Yambao, the shipment arrived on April 10 at the Philippine Coastal Storage and Pipeline Corporation (PCSPC) facility in Subic, which is now being used as a key site for emergency fuel operations.
Because of the urgent need to secure fuel supplies, the Bureau of Internal Revenue issued a special permit on March 30. This allowed PNOC Exploration Corporation to speed up the import process and avoid delays in customs procedures.
The government also plans to build up strategic fuel reserves, including up to two million barrels of oil and 22,000 metric tons of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). These stockpiles are meant to protect the country from supply disruptions and sudden price increases caused by global market instability.
However, officials said the current additional supply would only last about 10 days of national demand, showing how limited the buffer still is.
The Subic Freeport remains an important energy hub, with the PCSPC facility holding about 6.3 million barrels of storage capacity, or around one-fifth of the country’s total. It continues to supply fuel to major regions such as Metro Manila, Central Luzon, and Northern Luzon.
Originally built on the site of a former U.S. naval base, the Subic depot is still a major center for fuel distribution in the country today.
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