BIOFUEL BILL WILL HELP RP BECOME
ENERGY SELF-RELIANT MAR ROXAS

Sen. Mar Roxas yesterday expressed optimism the biofuels bill approved by the Senate and the House in the bicameral committee will, once signed into law, pave the way for the country becoming self-reliant on energy, lead to a cleaner environment, and help consumers cope with rising oil prices.

Roxas, a co-author of the proposed measure, and who actively participated in its crafting, said the bill will definitely reduce the countrys dependence on imported oil once biofuels manufacturers begin operations in the country.

He noted that the country depends on oil as its primary fuel source, notably for transportation. The bulk of this oil is imported. In 2005, the country imported 77.6 million barrels of crude and refined petroleum products worth US$4.1 billion.

With oil prices predicted to remain volatile in the world market, this bill is a welcome development that would help reverse the trend of our countrys dependence on expensive oil imports, the senator said.

The bill is also one step further towards the Philippines fulfilling its commitment and obligations to a clean environment, Roxas added.

Roxas said the bill will boost productivity in the agriculture sector, particularly the sugar industry. He thanked the sector for their all-out support and cooperation during the critical period when the bill was subjected to intense debate in both houses of the Congress.

He further noted that the cooperation was unprecedented in Philippine legislative history in that the sugar industry even took into consideration the protection of the interests of Filipino consumers.

If every industry in the country had as much concern for the big picture especially for the basic needs of Juan de la Cruzsuch as more jobs and reasonable commodity pricesthen our country would be definitely headed to long-term stable growth and development.

The biofuels bill mandates and promotes the use of alternative, renewable energies, such as compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, hydrogen, electricity, and any liquid at least 85 percent of the volume of which consists of methanol, ethanol, or methyl ester such as coco-biodiesel.

Particularly, the measure mandates the use of bio-fuels by blending five percent bio-ethanol with gasoline within two years from the laws effectivity and one percent bio-diesel within three months from its taking into effect.

Various sectors have hailed the speedy approval of the biofuels bill, with many saying that it will be a boon to the economy as it will attract foreign investors and create jobs.