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The Department of Energy and oil firm Pilipinas Shell have put up a
refilling facility for compressed natural gas (CNG) in Laguna to
service sedans that can run on alternative fuel.
Angelo T. Reyes, DOE secretary, said the
refilling facility set up at a Shell station in Binan, Laguna, for
CNG-fed vehicles is part of the government’s efforts to promote
the use of alternative fuels in the transport industry.
The refilling facility was constructed following
the recent launching of CNG-fuelled buses under a government
program, which aims to introduce such vehicles for the transport
sector.
The DOE has tied up with Shell in this regard as
the latter operates the Malampaya, the largest natural gas field in
the country.
The government is banking on the use of
alternative fuels to achieve energy self-sufficiency and lessen the
Philippines’ dependence on oil imports specially at a time when
crude oil prices have been soaring in the world market.
Shell officials said that a full tank of CNG is
worth only P340 and a vehicle running on the alternative fuel
travels about 320 kilometers.
But aside from the benefits motorists may get
for their pockets, Reyes said that CNG will help address
environmental issues as it is relatively cleaner than its regular
fuel counterparts.
“This will not only serve as a step toward
achieving energy security but it will also address the issue of
climate change,” he said.
Despite the promising benefits of CNG, however,
it may take a while to shift to the alternative fuel as the DOE is
still in the process of formulating safety standards and policy
regulation that need to be developed for the CNG industry and for
the conversion of vehicles’ engines to CNG-fuelled engines.
-- Euan Paulo C. Añonuevo
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