Protect VIP Statement on the Cancellation of the ENEXOR Batangas Gas Project

Fr. Edwin Gariguez, Protect VIP Lead Convenor, on the cancellation of the ENEXOR Batangas Project:

The recent announcement that ENEX Energy Corp. has terminated its plans to construct a gas-fired power plant in Batangas Province marks a critical turning point for local community rights and biodiversity protection surrounding the Verde Island Passage (VIP).

In a disclosure released yesterday, November 14, Ayala-owned ENEX Energy Corp. (ENEXOR) announced the cancellation of its planned 1,100 MW combined-cycle gas turbine Batangas Clean Energy (BCE) project. The company cited its failure to secure "an offtake contract and a third investor for the pre-development venture."

The cancellation of the project in the Verde Island Passage is a long-overdue step in the right direction – a necessary course correction to protect a critically important marine ecosystem.

For years, the VIP – the narrow strait between Batangas and Mindoro, often dubbed the “Amazon of the Oceans” for its unparalleled marine biodiversity – has been under mounting pressure from a surge of fossil gas infrastructure, including LNG terminals and gas-fired power plants. This expansion has raised alarm among coastal communities, fishers, and faith-based groups due to concerns over habitat destruction, pollution, and the loss of livelihoods.

While we welcome this development, it also serves as a stark warning to FGen and A Brown, whose plans to exploit the natural resources of the VIP are already at advanced stages, of the serious financial risks tied to pursuing destructive projects in this marine corridor.

The project’s withdrawal signals a clear recognition of the financial risks and environmental realities associated with siting such ventures in this sensitive marine corridor. It sends a powerful message that fossil gas plans in fragile marine ecosystems face growing scrutiny, carry significant risks, and may no longer be viable.

For local communities, this decision offers renewed hope for the continued protection of their home and the world's most biodiverse marine habitat. While this is a major victory, the fight to safeguard the VIP is ongoing. Meaningful and lasting protection requires sustained effort and a firm commitment to prioritizing people and ecosystems. The ENEX decision provides a valuable opening for this critical shift to finally take hold. ###