The Philippine government has received a major diesel shipment from Malaysia as part of its efforts to secure fuel supply amid ongoing global tensions, the Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Sharon Garin announced on Saturday.

In a Facebook post, Garin said a total of 329,000 barrels, or approximately 52.31 million liters, of diesel procured through the Philippine National Oil Company Exploration Corporation (PNOC EC) have arrived in the country.

The shipment is intended to bolster the nation’s fuel reserves as instability in the Middle East continues to affect global oil prices and supply chains.

“Shipment of PNOC EC from Malaysia. That’s 329,000 barrels or 52,311,000 liters of diesel purchased by the government to stock up on supply while the Middle East war is not over,” Garin said.

The DOE chief noted that despite sufficient current inventory levels, the government is proactively increasing fuel reserves.

Earlier, Garin said the country’s oil supply remains stable, with reserves projected to last about 52.42 days, or until May, which is within normal levels.

She added that the government continues to take steps to secure additional supplies. Garin disclosed that the Philippines has already secured around 165 million liters of oil, with another shipment of approximately 900,000 barrels expected to arrive by mid-April.

Garin also wrote in her post that reflected on the global implications of ongoing conflicts.

“Such a complex world, isn’t it? Someone from the Americas starts a war in the Middle East and causes suffering in Asia,” she said.

The diesel procurement forms part of the government’s broader strategy to mitigate the impact of geopolitical tensions, particularly in the Middle East, on the domestic energy market.