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PETRON Corp., the country’s largest oil refiner, is
pushing for a six-month transition period before the full
implementation of the biofuels law, a legislator said.
Rep. Juan Miguel Zubiri, author
of the law, said the government may grant Petron’s request, since
the Department of Energy would require three months to complete the
law’s implementing rules.
Petron is controlled by Saudi
Aramco, but the Philippine government has retained a stake in the
refiner.
“There still could be a
transition period, all in all you’re looking at five to six months
before the 1-percent biodiesel [B1] blend could be fully implemented
in June. Under the law, it’s been specific that the B1 blend must
be implemented three months after the effectivity of the law. So you
can stretch it a bit since the [rules are] still being formulated.
But one year will be too long,” the legislator said.
A Malacañang priority measure,
the Biofuels Act of 2006 mandates the blending of locally sourced
biodiesel and bioethanol with engine fuels.
Chemrez Technologies, Inc., the
country’s largest biofuel producer, however said Petron and other
refiners have no reason to worry about complying with the law.
Chemrez Tech said the 1-percent
mandate of blending petroleum diesel fuel with coco-biodiesel by
April 2007 would be easily met as the combined capacity of domestic
biodiesel producers is already enough for a 2-percent biodiesel
blend or B2 nationwide.
--Euan Paulo C. Añonuevo
and Cheryl M. Arcibal
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