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‘WHITE’ HYDROGEN IS WAY TO GO IN ZAMBALES’ CLEAN ENERGY QUEST
A VIEW of the Nagsasa Cove in San Antonio, Zambales, where local scientists discovered outgassing of natural hydrogen from several seeps. HENRY EMPEÑO
I
By Henry Empeño
BA, Zambales — Government officials in Zambales have expressed optimism over natural hydrogen gas reserves found in the province and urged immediate preparations to explore and manage the two hydrogen seeps that could provide abundant clean energy and reshape the local economy. This after Koloma Inc., reputedly the world’s leading natural hydrogen exploration company, was granted exclusive rights by the Philippine government on Thursday, July 23, to explore for native hydrogen here. The US-based firm also received two service contracts from the government last October for natural hydrogen exploration in Central Luzon, and began a 2D seismic survey at the Los Fuegos Eternos natural gas seep site in Bugallon, Pangasinan, on July 10. Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. said the provincial government began pushing for the development of local hydrogen sources and as-
sessing long-term impacts of the project after the Department of Science and Technology’s Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (DOST-PNRI) identified significant hydrogen sources in San Antonio and Botolan towns in June last year. The governor said local officials, including San Antonio Mayor Arvin Antipolo and Botolan Mayor Jun Omar Ebdane, see Zambales at the forefront of the government’s drive to develop alternative energy sources, as well as better economic prospects for the province, once the hydrogen reserves are tapped. Continued on A2
Zambales prepares for the development of its local geologic hydrogen reserve, said to be the highest gas seepage recorded globally. White hydrogen is much cheaper than “gray” or “green” hydrogen elsewhere, with zero carbon footprint to boot.
GOV. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. consults with DOST-PNRI OIC Dr. Vallerie Ann I. Samson during the Hydrogen SEEP stakeholders’ forum in Quezon City on June 23. HENRY EMPEÑO
THE Bulqizë chromite mine in eastern Albania, long regarded as the world’s best-known natural hydrogen site. Research there found hydrogen concentrations of up to 80 percent and an estimated natural outgassing rate of about 200 tons annually. Scientists say the Nagsasa hydrogen seep in Zambales now exceeds that rate at an estimated 808 tons per year, making it one of the world’s most significant documented natural hydrogen discoveries. WIKIMEDIA COMMONS/ ALBINFO, GNU FREE DOCUMENTATION LICENSE
PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 61.7450 n JAPAN 0.3770 n UK 82.2320 n HK 7.8750 n CHINA 9.1100 n SINGAPORE 47.7977 n AUSTRALIA 43.0239 n EU 70.2658 n KOREA 0.0419 n SAUDI ARABIA 16.4500 Source: BSP (July 24, 2026)