Energy crisis raises concerns over Ligawasan Marsh exploration

CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – The Ligawasan Marsh (also Liguasan Marsh) has been both a cradle of life and a silent witness to the changing tides of politics and development in Mindanao. Now, with renewed interest in its underground riches due to the escalating Middle East crisis that choked the global oil supply, an environmental watchdog warned that the delicate balance of this ecosystem could be on the brink.

The non-profit Wetlands International Philippines on Monday, March 30, cautioned against renewed oil and gas exploration in the largest swamp and marshland in south-central Mindanao.

In a statement, the group warned that unregulated extraction activities could contaminate one of the most biodiverse wetland systems in the country, increase flooding, and release carbon stored in the ecosystem.

Communities surrounding the marsh rely on it for fisheries, livelihoods, and flood protection. The Bangsamoro environment ministry said in 2025 that a first-quarter biodiversity assessment in Ligawasan Marsh recorded more than 3,000 species.

“Liguasan Marsh is an irreplaceable ecological system…. it is a lifeline for communities, wildlife, and our climate resilience,” said Dr. Annadel Cabanban, Wetlands International Philippines country manager.

“We cannot afford to damage an ecosystem that safeguards us from floods, supports fisheries, and stores vast amounts of carbon. A truly secure energy future is one that strengthens, not sacrifices, the natural systems that protect Filipino lives.”

The group urged the government to prioritize renewable energy development and use in responding to the country’s energy crisis resulting from the worsening situation in the Middle East as an offshoot of the February 28 US-Israel attacks on Iran that disrupted the flow of oil supply.

Wetlands International said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s declaration of a state of national energy emergency should accelerate a shift to renewables rather than harm and open fragile ecosystems such as the Ligawasan Marsh to unregulated extraction.

In 2023, the Mindanao-based SK Liguasan Oil and Gas Corporation commissioned its first drilling rig in the Cotabato Basin, aiming to develop several sites across Sultan Kudarat and Ligawasan Marsh.

The company held a petroleum service contract with the Department of Energy (DOE), granting it exploration rights over 72,000 hectares of the onshore basin, which covers roughly 288,000 hectares across the Maguindanao provinces in the Bangsamoro region, and Sultan Kudarat, Cotabato, and South Cotabato in the Soccsksargen region.

That same year, Bangsamoro Transition Authority members pushed for the creation of the Ligawasan Development Authority to oversee resource management in line with the Bangsamoro Organic Law, which requires joint decision-making with the national government. Advocates cited the marsh’s ecological and historical significance as well as its potential gas reserves.

Wetlands International said any exploration of natural resources should be subjected first to thorough environmental assessments and consultation with scientific and environmental experts.

The group pointed to regional renewable energy initiatives — including solar expansion in Vietnam, microgrids in Indonesia, community-based biomass projects in Thailand, and solar auctions in Malaysia – as models for a “just and rapid” energy transition.

“Veering away from fossil fuels is not only an energy decision — it is a wetlands decision. Every wetland we protect strengthens our resilience against floods, droughts, and climate impacts that fossil fuels continue to worsen. By reducing our reliance on oil and investing in renewable energy, we allow vital wetlands like the Liguasan Marsh to keep doing what they do best: protect communities, sustain biodiversity, and stabilize our climate,” Cabanban said. – Rappler.com