After Alegria oilfields officially opened for commercial production, President Rodrigo Duterte told the residents of the said town to prepare themselves in the sudden human economic development.
He believed that because of the job opportunities and income for Filipinos that the said oilfield would generate, he foresees that people in different parts of the country would migrate in Alegria.
“Madaghan nang mga tawo diri. (People will flock here.) Prepare for that and do not forget your fellowmen here,” Duterte said.
He said that the people of Alegria should accept the people from other places who’s searching for an opportunity in their town.
Duterte opening the valve of the gas fields marking its official commercial opening Photo: PCOO
“It is a magnet that draws people together. But since we are Filipinos, you should accommodate them and partake of the bounties of what God has given us in the bowels of the earth,” Duterte said.
The President also urged the local officials of Alegria to carefully plan the future improvements in the said town and spend the money that the oilfields would earn to improve the living conditions of their people.
He also expected that there would be an airstrip in Alegria soon that would make the transportation in the said town easier.
“I can see your own airstrip here, which you can be proud of as your means of transportation from Alegria to other parts of the province and back,” Duterte said.
The oilfields which opened last week is expected to produce 200-400 oil barrels a day and it would give a tremendous amount of revenue to the national and local government.
It covers a total area of 197,000 hectares with approximately around 42,749 hectares dedicated to the production area.
The oilfield is currently operated by China International Mining Petroleum Company Ltd. with its partners Skywealth Group Holdings Ltd. And Phil-Mal Energy International Inc. with a P1.6 billion investment.
The recent development in Alegria has been praised by many people, wishing that more oilfields will be discovered soon.