The military is ready to protect the country's oil exploration activities against possible interference of foreign power in the West Philippine Sea, a ranking Philippine Navy official said Tuesday.

" Your Philippine Navy and your Armed Forces are ready to provide security and protection to any effort by the national government to exploit the natural resources within our exclusive economic zone," Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, Philippine Navy spokesman for the West Philippine Sea told reporters in a press conference in Villamor Airbase.

"We are prepared to provide protection to any other party that will be working with the Philippine government and to provide security against any interference of any foreign power," he added.

Recently, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced the start of the drilling operation under the Malampaya Phase 4 project which will tap new wells in a bid to deliver new liquified natural gas supply.

The project was started following the arrival of the 7th generation drillship Noble Viking at the Bagong Pag-Asa offshore drill site in Palawan on June 19.

According to the DOE, under its Phase 4 project, "Noble Viking will drill three new wells, Camago-3, Malampaya East-1, and Bagong Pag-asa-1, extending the life of the gas field and securing the country’s indigenous energy supply."

DOE Officer-in-Charge Sharon Garin stressed that "this development not only strengthens our energy security and reduces our dependence on imported fuel." Robina Asido/DMS