PNOC-AFC to pursue jatropha project
The PNOC-Alternative Fuels Corp. (PAFC), the biofuels arm of state-owned Philippine National Oil Co., is pushing through with its planned jatropha development project in Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Puerto Princesa,
PAFC president Peter Anthony A. Abaya said the government could ensure food security without necessarily sacrificing the development of biofuels program.
“We see the need to increase rice production. But we also see the continued urgency of energy security as imported oil continues its upward trek towards $200 per barrel. This country’s need for alternatives to expensive oil proportionately rises,” Abaya said.
Abaya said talks on the Iwahig-related development is underway.
“Thus, we will renew talks with the Department of Justice (DOJ) to let the Department of Agriculture develop the flat arable lands of Iwahig. Since rice is not ideal for rolling and sloping land, the PNOC-AFC will continue its plans to develop jatropha for those sloping areas this end of April. Iwahig will be a rice and biofuel producer at the same time,”Abaya said.
According to Abaya, the penal colony has vast hectarage of land that can accommodate rice and jatropha among other crops. However, not all areas are suitable for rice production.
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“We will create a roadmap segregating the different areas. Most arable land will be used for traditional crops, such as rice and corn. Others would be for palm and rubber trees. Then there are land for jatropha cultivation,” Reyes said.
PAFC chairman Renato S. Velasco said, “we would show that rice and jatropha can co-exist, that solutions for food security and energy security can be jointly implemented.”
“Long-term solutions will have to be continued to be developed. Neither food security nor energy must take the back seat. Iwahig will highlight these complementary, twin solutions. There is no competition for these two strategies,” Velasco said.
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