Seaoil Steps Up as the Country’s Biofuels Major

Republic Act 9367, otherwise known as the Bio Fuels act, was signed into law early this year so as to reduce the country’s dependence on imported fuel, which in turn will save the country billions of dollars in foreign currency. The law mandates blending gasoline with at least 5% ethanol in the next two years, with the blend increasing to 10% in the next four years. Diesel fuel, on the other hand, must be blended with 1% coco-methyl ester (CME) within three months of the law’s effectivity, with the blend increasing to 2% after two years.

Blending ethanol with gasoline will yield unprecedented benefits for the Philippine economy. As mentioned, it will save the country billions of dollars in foreign currency. Second, car engines will run more efficiently, as ethanol blended to gasoline will increase its octane rating by at least three points. Third, and probably the most important, ethanol will make cars run cleaner, as ethanol is proven to reduce carbon monoxide (CO) emissions by 30%, and carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) by 27%. Not to mention the fact that ethanol-blended gasoline pump prices are cheaper.

Seaoil, however, believed in ethanol way before this country’s government did, and didn’t wait for a law for them to start selling environment-friendly fuels. As early as August 2005, Seaoil was in the forefront of this initiative, selling ethanol-blended G5 Unleaded and G5 Extreme gasoline. Since then four million fill ups have been logged at Seaoil’s 106 stations. This, then, makes Seaoil the country’s Biofuels major. Upon signing of the Biofuels act, Seaoil is poised to unleash more of their horses out onto the battlefield.

"Since we are the country’s Biofuels major, we are fueling the change from petroleum to biofuels," Seaoil President Glenn Yu said in a statement. To sustain its momentum, Seaoil has upgraded its fuel depot in Mandaluyong City and is working on putting up its own ethanol processing plant capable of producing 100,000 liters of ethanol per day, as shown to select members of the media in a recent plant tour. But ensuring abundant supply of ethanol is not enough, so Seaoil is educating all of its service crews who will in turn tell the biofuels gospel to the motorists.

Despite the signing of the Biofuels law, not all motorists know everything about biofuels. This is a challenge that Seaoil together with the Department of Energy (DoE) is willing to take. Blending gasoline with ethanol will greatly benefit the country as this will cause the resurgence of sugarcane and coconut production in the country, as the former is the raw material needed to make ethanol. This will in turn benefit millions of Filipinos living in the countryside.

With the signing of the Biofuels act, the Philippines is surely taking the same steps that the United States and Brazil took. Both countries saved a huge amount of money in implementing this initiative. Not only that, they have spurred countryside development and kept their fuel prices low, as ethanol is relatively cheaper to obtain from its source. Other benefits include a more efficient engine and cleaner emissions. Join other motorists who had made the switch to Seaoil and had experienced almost instantaneous gains in pulling power and acceleration.

For more information log on to www.biofuels.com.ph or visit the nearest Seaoil station.