Boholano lawyer Jordan Pizarras, legal counsel to American businessman Timothy Strong, will attend the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump on Jan. 20, highlighting the United States’ commitment to fostering strong ties with the Philippines, particularly concerning the resolution of disputes in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
Strong, a major shareholder in PXP Energy Corporation, has been instrumental in efforts to develop Service Contract 72 (SC 72) in the Reed Bank/Recto Bank basin, west of Palawan Island.
PXP Energy, listed on the London Stock Exchange, holds the concession to explore the energy-rich SC 72, situated within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The Reed Bank basin is believed to contain approximately 3.9 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, with the Sampaguita gas field accounting for about 2.6 trillion cubic feet of this reserve.
Experts estimate these resources could last over 100 years and have a potential market value exceeding USD500 trillion, making them critical to the Philippines’ energy security and economic growth.
However, development in the area has been stalled since 2014 due to a moratorium on exploration, imposed amid heightened tensions with China.
Recent recommendations by the Department of Energy to lift the moratorium signal progress in resuming exploration activities, pending approval from the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Pizarras’ invitation to Trump’s inauguration came from US House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, a Republican leader and advocate of stronger US-Philippine relations.
The gesture symbolizes Washington’s support for the Philippines in upholding the 2016 UNCLOS Arbitral Tribunal ruling, which invalidated China’s nine-dash line claim over the WPS and reaffirmed the Philippines’ sovereign rights over the Reed Bank.
China’s continued activities in the contested waters remain a point of concern, but US-Philippine cooperation aims to assert the country’s territorial and economic rights under international law.
Political analysts view Pizarras’ presence as a strategic move to bolster international backing for the Philippines amid ongoing maritime tensions with China.
In an interview over station dyRD on Monday, Pizarras who is running for a seat in Congress through Bohol’s first district said he is proud to represent Boholanos during the historic event.
“Atong gihalad ning maong okasyon para sa atong kaigsuonan na at least naay Bol-anon na gi-imbetar sa inauguration sa 47th president sa Amerika,” said Pizarras. (PNA/PR with a report from A. Doydora)