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THE Department of Energy plans to team up with the private sector to
establish compressed natural gas (CNG) refilling stations in Metro
Manila.
Mario Marasigan, Bureau of Energy Utilization
and Management director, said the department is planning to put up
one or two CNG refilling stations.
He said that this move is in response to the
lack of such facilities for the alternative fuel, which the
government is promoting to mitigate the effects of high oil prices
on the transport sector.
On Wednesday, President Gloria Arroyo announced
a P500-million fund to be culled from the value-added tax imposed on
oil for the conversion of public transport vehicles to liquefied
petroleum gas (LPG) and CNG use.
LPG and CNG are relatively cheaper than regular
fuels, with CNG available from the Shell-operated Malampaya natural
gas field.
Shell is also the only company operating a CNG
refilling station in the country in its pilot project in Biñan,
Laguna, that caters to a handful of buses running on the alternative
fuel.
Industry officials said that unless a pipeline
that will deliver the Malampaya’s supply across the country is put
up to minimize costs, the petroleum sector would be hard pressed
putting up CNG refilling stations.
Because of this, “government intervention”
is needed through the proposed partnership with the private sector
to put up the stations, Marasigan said
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-- Euan Paulo C. Añonuevo
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