Shell Pilipinas to open fifth Cebu import facility by year-end

MANILA, Philippines — Shell Pilipinas Corp. is expanding its fuel import capacity with a new facility in the Visayas, hoping to boost its competitive edge after a disappointing first-half performance.

Reynaldo Abilo, Shell Pilipinas CFO, said the firm expects to open the fifth import terminal in Cebu by year-end, its first in the Visayas.

READ: Pilipinas Shell eyes five import terminals by 2025

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In addition, no other details, such as the designed capacity of the facility, were provided. At the same time, the oil giant currently has two import facilities each in Luzon and Mindanao.

“That will offer competitive advantages for us and growth opportunities for the company as well,” he said at the Philippine Stock Exchange Strengthening Access and Reach (PSE STAR) investor briefing on Tuesday.

“We want to grow our volumes ahead of the industry. And we’re going to do that by one, penetrating areas or business sectors that we are not present or our presence is not significant,” the official said.

READ: Shell Pilipinas allots up to P3B capex for 2026

Meanwhile, Abilo said that when Shell Pilipinas launched its import terminal in Davao last year, the firm saw its volumes rise in the region.

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Likewise, he further noted that Shell Pilipinas intends to spend more from 2027 to 2030, with its capital expenditures (capex) expected to reach about P3 billion to P4 billion. The company has set annual capex at P2 to P3 billion for 2025–2026.

The company reported net losses reaching P2.7 billion in the January-June period, largely due to the price volatility caused by the months-long bombing attacks in the Middle East.

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With a timing lag between global oil price movements and domestic pricing, Shell Pilipinas noted inventory losses hitting P1 billion.

Lorelie Quiambao Osial, president and CEO of Shell Pilipinas, said the company welcomed the second semester with “improving momentum.”

“Although, as I mentioned, the operating environment remains uncertain and volatility remains a feature of our market,” Osial said at the briefing.

“The supply disruptions and extreme price volatility that characterized part of the first half have eased, and we have seen encouraging signs of recovery across several parts of the portfolio, particularly in mobility, while commercial fuels and lubricants continue to demonstrate resilience,” she added. /pai