TOKYO -- The Philippines and Vietnam are nearing their long-delayed debuts as importers of liquefied natural gas, even as competition from renewables and fears of future gas supply disruptions are heating up the debate over the fuel's role in supporting growing Southeast Asian economies.
Developing Asian countries like the Philippines and Vietnam currently rely on coal as the main source of cheap energy for their industries, but mounting pressure to decarbonize led them to look to gas as a less harmful alternative.
