Aaron-Matthew Lariosa – June 9, 2026 5:31 PM
The Pentagon’s planned energy depot in the Philippines will be able to refuel the U.S. Navy’s guided-missile destroyers and Combat Logistics Force ships, according to new documents.
Amendments to the Defense Logistics Agency’s solicitation from last summer have expanded, requiring the bidder to provide fueling support for Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, fleet replenishment oilers, dry cargo vessels and fast combat support ships. These vessels have historically relied on facilities in Luzon at Subic Bay for refueling and logistical support.
With an anticipated activation timeframe by April of 2028, the Defense Logistics Agency’s ambitions for a Defense Fuel Support Point (DFSP) in the Davao Gulf on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao come amid Washington’s search for logistics facilities across the Western Pacific.
The Davao DFSP plans to store up to 41 million gallons of fuel products and lubricants, supplementing existing commercial stores that the U.S. uses at Subic Bay and other regional hubs. When activated, the DFSP will allow American naval forces access to the Sulu Sea, which is near a maritime chokepoint separating the first and second island chains.
The contract covers activities at the Davao DFSP from 2028 to 2031, matching similar timeframes for a Marine Corps Prepositioning Site in Luzon.
The U.S. has relied on traditional logistics nodes that China’s modernized naval, missile and air forces could threaten in a potential conflict. In the Philippines, Washington has used the Cold War-era naval facilities at Subic Bay for logistics operations, which are exposed to Beijing’s footprint in the South China Sea. Finding new nodes such as those in Mindanao, Papua New Guinea and elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific could help U.S. forces during a contingency concerning the South China Sea or Taiwan.
During Balikatan 2026, American and Philippine planners tapped facilities on Mindanao to support logistics operations throughout the archipelago. One of these drills involved the offloading of vehicles and supplies at the Port of Cagayan de Oro, which marked the first time the U.S. offloaded maritime prepositioning force equipment in Mindanao. U.S. Marine Corps equipment was then transferred to contracted civilian vessels and transported northward to training areas in Luzon.
The Davao DFSP could also aid American allies, such as Japan. Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force flotillas regularly visit Davao City during their voyages to Southeast Asia and Australia. Local Philippine forces, which lack modernized fueling infrastructure, could also benefit from the American-contracted facility.
While the Philippine military welcomed the initial news of the DFSP, the City of Davao – headed by Sebastian Duterte, the mayor of Davao City and son of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte – blasted the Pentagon’s plans for a contracting civilian facilities in the region. Former President Duterte’s administration from 2016 to 2022 saw a strained relationship between Washington and Manila as he attempted a shift toward China.
“The City Government of Davao does not welcome and will oppose any plan to build U.S. military facilities within the jurisdiction,” reads a statement from April.
Aaron-Matthew Lariosa
Aaron-Matthew Lariosa is a freelance defense journalist. His coverage focuses on Philippine defense modernization, the South China Sea and U.S. efforts in the first island chain.
Follow @Aaron_MatthewIL