‘Palawan to get share of Malampaya fund’

MANILA, Philippines -  President Duterte has vowed to resolve the conflict regarding the share of the national and Palawan local governments from the proceeds of the Malamapaya natural gas project. 

Duterte said he would look into the possibility of allowing the local government to get about P70 billion of its supposed share, which was not implemented during the Arroyo and Aquino administrations. 

“I will check if there’s still money and I will give it to you. It’s rightfully yours, why would we claim it?” the President told residents after meeting with officials of the Western Command  on Thursday.  

Shell Philippines Exploration BV and Chevron Malampaya LLC operate the Malampaya gas project in the waters off Palawan. PNOC Exploration Corp. holds a minority share.

The service contract provides for a scheme in which the government gets 60 percent of the earnings after deducting certain charges.

However, proceeds of the project were reportedly diverted to spurious beneficiaries, including non-government organizations associated with suspected pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles. The alleged scam was the subject of previous Senate investigations.