US oil depot plan in Davao meets resistance

ILIGAN CITY—The Davao City government has expressed opposition to reported plans by the United States military to build a fuel depot in the Davao region.

“The City Government of Davao does not welcome and will oppose any plan to build foreign military facilities within the jurisdiction of Davao City,” read a statement issued on Tuesday after news of the plans of the US military had become widely circulated.

“If such a plan does not help cushion the impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, such as reducing the price of oil and commodities and alleviating the living conditions of the people, then we will not support it,” the statement added.

Last week, the USNI News, an independent nonprofit news service of the US Naval Institute, reported about the Pentagon’s plan to set up a Defense Fuel Support Point (DFSP) in Mindanao to boost its network of refueling hubs in the Pacific. Similar facilities are reportedly also planned in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, and Darwin, Australia.

‘Direct threat’

A contract opportunity was put out by the US Department of Defense in a federal government website on March 31. The solicitation was described as for a “contractor-owned (and) contractor-operated fuel storage services in Davao, Philippines.”

The facility is capable of receiving, storing, protecting and shipping up to 977,000 barrels of US government-owned military-grade naval and aviation fuel.

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The area of consideration is “the western coast of the Davao Gulf to include Davao City, Davao del Sur and Malalag Bay.”

Dr. Jean Lindo, chair of Gabriela Southern Mindanao, said the project “represents a direct threat to our environment, our communities, and our national sovereignty.”

“By hosting a foreign military facility, the Philippines risks turning Davao into a target in global conflicts. Militarization of our communities heightens regional tensions and undermines peace and stability,” Lindo said.