$1-B natural gas in Liguasan Marsh reserved for Mindanaoans – PRRD
President Duterte has assured that the estimated $1-billion (153.27-billion) gas field in Liguasan Marsh in Maguindanao will not be touched by the national government, but reserved for Mindanaoans.
The President made the statement after Maguindanao Representative Zajid Mangudadatu revealed that the unexploited marsh in the south has become a source of cooking gas.
It was earlier reported that the area beneath Lake Buluan in Maguindanao's Liguasan Marsh contains 68 billion cubic feet of methane gas.
In a speech in Davao City, Duterte said that Mindanaoans do not have to worry about the national government touching the natural gas reserve but reminded them to pay taxes.
“There is much worry — and they are wary na baka ‘yung sabi ninyo sa (about the) Liguasan Marsh. If there are trillions of cubic meters of oil, do not be worried at all. Hindi na kukunin ng gobyerno ‘yan. Inyo ‘yan. Walang makialam niyan (The government will not get that. That is yours. Nobody will mess with that),” he said Saturday evening.
“It will remain in your control and possession. But you just have to pay the taxes and the service that the government would spend,” he added.
However, Duterte also asked the locals to share the gas reserve with those who wish to earn money through the unexploited gas field.
“If you grow rich, mag mayayaman kayo diyan sa Maguindanao pati sa Sultan Kudarat. Eh huwag naman din ninyong bawalan ‘yung ibang pumunta doon. Kasi nandiyan ‘yung pera (all of you in Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat will become rich. Just don't forbid those who will go there),” he said.
“If there is a commercial activity and there’s really oil in Liguasan Marsh, my God, pupunta lahat ‘yan (everyone will go there). Christian, Muslims, Lumad will join the fray to enjoy progress and development,” he added.
In an interview over DZMM last month, Mangudadatu expressed confidence that the country will be able to develop the marsh in 25 years.
“This is not just for Maguindanao province, but for the whole country,” he said, also expressing optimism that the Philippines will be “the next Dubai.”
The Liguasan Marsh was where the bloody encounter in Mamasapano town took place that left 44 Philippine National Police-Special Action Forces (PNP-SAF) troopers dead in 2015.
Recently, President Duterte has been talking about how the Philippines has been deprived of oil, and how this puts the country at a disadvantage.
Last month, the President lauded the opening of the Oil and Gas Production of the Alegria Oilfield Polyard-3 Well Site in Alegria, Cebu, noting the numerous job opportunities and income it would generate for the Filipinos.
The Alegria oilfield serves as a major breakthrough in the Philippine oil and gas industry. It covers a total area of 197,000 hectares with about 42,749 hectares devoted to the production area.