The Philippine government is to negotiate for fishing access agreements with Palau and Papua New Guinea this month.
The newspaper, the National, reports the Philippine Fisheries and Aquatic Resources director Malcolm Sarmiento as saying the move is necessary in view of a fallout in the negotiations with Indonesia for access to its fishing grounds.
He says the Philippine government is considering other fishing areas, including Palau and PNG.
Mr Sarmiento says the government is looking at a joint venture deal that would allow a certain number of Philippine fishing vessels to operate in Palau.
At the same time, he was urging private sector operators especially those in the canneries and fisheries business to consider investing in Palau.
The newspaper says the Phillipines is also working on an access agreement with the Solomon Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia and Kiribati.
