Noy gov’t utilized P15-B Malampaya fund

MANILA, Philippines - The Aquino administration has so far utilized roughly P15 billion in Malampaya funds from 2011 to 2012, focusing on energy-related projects, documents obtained by The STAR showed.

In 2011, the biggest allocation – P4.9 billion – went to the Department of National Defense (DND) to support the upgrading of its capability requirements in securing the Malampaya natural gas-to-power project.

The second biggest allocation for 2011, amounting to P3 billion, went to the state-owned National Power Corp. (Napocor) for the missionary electrification program.

Napocor also received P1.624 billion to cover the fuel requirements of its power plants and half of the capital expenditure requirements of Napocor’s small power utilities group.

The National Electrification Administration (NEA), meanwhile, received P814 million for its sitio electrification project.

In all, the government used P13.26 billion from the multibillion-peso Malampaya funds for various energy-related projects.

In 2012, the government used P1.98 billion for NEA’s barangay line enhancement and sitio electrification projects (P1.108 billion) and for the DND’s dry-docking hull maintenance costs class vessel (P880 million).

So far, the government’s share from the Malampaya deep water gas-to-power project has totaled P165 to P167 billion since the project commenced in 2001.

The Arroyo administration utilized P20 billion out of this amount while the Aquino administration so far used P15 billion.

There is still a remaining amount of P130 billion.

Controversy is currently hounding the Malampaya funds after some P900 million worth of funds were allegedly diverted to 12 bogus non-government organizations linked to businesswoman Janet Lim- Napoles during the time of the Arroyo administration.

Napoles is the alleged mastermind of the pork barrel scam.

Despite the controversy, the consortium behind the project is undaunted by the alleged misuse of the billion-peso royalty funds and is now working on the third phase of the project.

Phase three involves the design, fabrication and installation of a depletion compression platform (DCP) to sustain gas production of the Malampaya gas field.

A joint undertaking between the Philippine government and the private sector, the Malampaya deep water gas-to-power project is spearheaded by the Department of Energy and developed and operated by Shell Philippines Exploration, B.V. (SPEX) on behalf of joint venture partners Chevron Malampaya LLC and the Philippine National Oil Co.-Exploration Corp.

The project, which commenced in October 2001, is covered by Service Contract 38 and involves the production of natural gas to fuel three gas-fired power stations with a combined capacity of 2,700 megawatts.

Natural gas is the fuel for sustainable growth and development, helping to meet the world’s growing energy needs as the cleanest-burning fossil fuel with a globally abundant and diverse supply.