JEDDAH, 11 May 2006 — Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo yesterday visited Saudi Aramco headquarters in Dhahran and described the oil giant as a dependable partner.
She disclosed plans to broaden cooperation avenues and economic and industrial relations between Saudi Aramco and Petron, the largest refining operation in the Philippines. Saudi Aramco became a partner in Petron in 1994.
Saudi Aramco President and CEO Abdallah S. Jumah welcomed Arroyo and emphasized his company’s commitment to providing stable energy supplies to the world and to the Philippines.
Arroyo expressed her appreciation to Saudi Aramco for its great role as a stabilizing force in the world oil market, the Saudi Press Agency said. Saudi Arabia provides the Philippines with 92 percent of its oil needs.
Aramco chief Jumah took Arroyo on a tour of the company’s Shaybah facilities on Tuesday. Arroyo was all praise for the Shaybah region, and said: “It’s amazing and highly developed.” At Aramco, she was given a presentation on the role of the company in meeting global energy needs. Arroyo also visited Aramco Exhibition where she was briefed on the oil and gas industry in the Kingdom.
Abdulaziz F. Al-Khayyal, senior vice president for refining, marketing and international, spoke to Arroyo on behalf of the current and former Saudi executives who have served in Petron, expressing their gratitude toward the Philippines and its people. Arroyo later met with Eastern Province Governor Prince Muhammad ibn Fahd at his office in Dammam and discussed issues of mutual concern.
Arroyo leads a high-level delegation to reinforce business and economic ties with the Kingdom. The delegation includes members of the Cabinet and prominent business leaders, and also Petron Chairman Nicasio Alcantara and Petron President Khalid D. Al-Faddagh.
More than 3,000 Filipino employees take on vital roles at Saudi Aramco. Filipino workers man the rigs in exploration and producing; Filipino doctors and nurses care for company employees and their dependents at company medical facilities, and they also take on a wide range of technical and professional tasks.
Andremarie V. Cabling, a Filipino staff nurse working at Dhahran’s Intensive Care Unit, said things have improved significantly for her and her family. “Thanks to Saudi Aramco, I was able to help my family a lot and my sister was able to finish her nursing studies,” she said. “I’ve also bought my own car.”
Hopes of improving his life also brought Nelson C. Kabigting to Saudi Aramco.
“In my 12 years with the company, I have already satisfied almost 75 percent of what I am aiming for,” he said. He hopes to start his own business in the Philippines. “I still have to work for five to seven years more to secure my family’s future,” he said. Dr. Florencio R. Arcano Jr., of the General Pediatrics Group, said he has already achieved his goals “financially and professionally” 15 years after joining the company. “Saudi Aramco did well for me, my family and my relatives,” he said in comments carried by the Aramco website.
