The Department of Energy will hold a consultation on the draft implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act 9367, or the Biofuels Act of 2006, tomorrow, from 10 p.m. to 3 p.m., at the USLS Santuario de La Salle in Bacolod City.

DOE Visayas Field Office Director Antonio Labios said the consultation aims to solicit public participation in the formulation of the IRR and raise the level of awareness and acceptance of stakeholders on the purpose and benefits of the Biofuels Act. DOE scheduled consultations in Metro Manila, Baguio, Bacolod and Cagayan de Oro after recently conducting a workshop on the drafting of the IRR, a copy of which can be accessed at the DOE website.

The Biofuels Act that was signed into law by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last January 12, mandates the use of biofuels to reduce the country's dependence on imposed fuels.

It also provides for the use of biofuels as a measure to develop and utilize indigenous renewable and sustainably-sourced clean energy sources to reduce dependence on imported oil.

With the Biofuels Act, the government is expected to rake in some P32 billion in savings annually, substituting 10 percent of imported oil with locally produced biofuels.

One of the salient features of the proposed biofuels bill is the "mandatory blending of gasoline with 5-percent bioethanol" within two years after its approval.

The bioethanol component may be increased to 10 percent in the next two years should a national biofuels board, which will be created under the proposed law, recommend it. Biofuel refers to bioethanol and biodiesel and other fuels made from biomass and primarily used for motive, thermal and power generation with quality specifications in accordance with the Philippine National Standards.*NLG

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