Miriam to sponsor biofuels act for plenary debates

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, chairwoman of the Senate committee on energy, is expected to introduce the Biofuels Act for plenary debates within the week.

The Biofuels Act is one of the six priority bills identified by the Senate, which Congress hopes to pass before adjourning sine die next month.

Santiago, who is on sick leave, will return to work and start deliberations on Tuesday, a member of the senator’s staff said yesterday.

She went on indefinite sick leave due to a heart ailment, but managed to accompany President Arroyo on her recent state visit to Saudi Arabia, where the chief executive received assurance from the Saudi government that the Philippines will have a stable supply of fuel despite increased demand for oil and soaring oil prices worldwide.

During the Senate deliberations for the passage of the Biofuels Act, which is seen as one solution to the looming oil crisis, a group of car manufacturers said they will underscore the need for car manufacturers to be given more time to comply with government’s plan to impose the mandatory blending of ethanol into gasoline.

The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI) is expected to reiterate their concern on the proposed law’s implementation as the Senate tackles the final version of the Biofuels Act of 2006 within the week.

CAMPI fuels and emission subcommittee chairman Jeffrey Matsuo said car manufacturers need time to make new cars that can be adapted to use bio-ethanol or coco-diesel.

"The automotive specifications we have in the country are still not ready for ethanol-blended gasoline," Matsuo said. He added that carbureted engines, the kind used in public utility jeepneys, cannot run on blended gasoline.  

Matsuo said the local car industry needs two years’ lead time from the passage of the bill so alternative fuels may be used in new car models and to provide enough time for the country to develop its own vehicles.

"We need more time to develop and manufacture vehicles. We need two years (from the passage of the Biofuels Act) to retrofit the new models," he said.

Allen Raymundo Rufo, also of CAMPI and assistant vice-president for After Sales Department of Toyota Cars Phils., said car makers are supportive of the government’s initiative for the mandatory use and blending of one percent of biofuel into the transport sector.

However, Rufo also said CAMPI members are asking two years’ "lead time" to implement the law. CAMPI includes in its membership roster large car makers such as Toyota, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Honda, Isuzu, Kia and BMW.

Rufo cited concerns regarding car warranty issues, the quality of blending procedures, accreditation, certification and enforcement as major considerations in seeking a delay of the implementation of the alternative fuels program. — Christina Mendez