MANILA, Sept 15 (Reuters) -
* Three companies have applied to undertake oil and gas
exploration activities in four sites within Philippine
territory, the Department of Energy said on Tuesday, including
three located within contested waters in the South China Sea
* Local firm Troika Giant Power Corp has applied for a block
in
Mindoro basin, while PXP Energy Corp PXP.PS offered to explore
one of the three blocks in Recto Bank, also known as Reed Bank,
in the South China Sea
* The Reed Bank is where PXP Energy had been undertaking
exploration to evaluate gas reserves in the Sampaguita block,
but the project has been suspended indefinitely since 2014 due
to the territorial dispute with China
* Philippine firm Udenna Corp has applied to explore the
other two
Reed Bank blocks, the energy ministry said in a statement
* All three companies had passed the technical, legal, and
financial requirements, but their proposals would be evaluated
further within 15 working days, it said