00:00Welcome back. The Philippines says it is working with Washington to obtain oil from U.S. sanctioned countries.
00:06This as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a national energy emergency on Tuesday
00:11to deal with the fallout from the Middle East conflict, including disruptions to oil procurement.
00:20The Philippines, which relies heavily on imported fuel, unveiled new contingency committee,
00:25has been formed to oversee the supply and distribution of essential goods, including fuel, food and medicine.
00:32The Philippine ambassador to the U.S., Jose Manuel Romualdez, told Reuters that Manila is working with Washington
00:39to obtain waivers to purchase oil from sanctioned nations.
00:43When asked if this included imports from Venezuela or Iran, the ambassador confirmed that all options are being considered.
00:50In an interview with Bloomberg, Marcos says he is open to restarting talks with China
00:55on joint energy projects in disputed waters, suggesting the conflict in Iran may provide the necessary impetus for a breakthrough.
01:03The move follows a 2023 agreement with President Xi Jinping to resume discussions,
01:08which had previously stalled for years over territorial claims.
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