Local producers urge biofuels board to resolve import issue

Stakeholders expressed relief over reports of the possible convening of the Philippine National Biofuels Board (NBB) to resolve the challenges over the importation of ethanol from Brazil. Members of the Ethanol Producers Association of the Philippines (EPAP) said the industry welcomed the government’s move to dialogue with stakeholders and resolve with finality the non-compliance to the 5% blending and local content mandate of ethanol for all gasoline as prescribed by the Biofuels Law. Tetchi Capellan, executive director of EPAP, said, unless a certificate is issued by the Department of Energy attesting to the full adherence by the importer of the 5% blending requirement and compliance to the absorb-domestic-supply-first policy as prescribed by law, ethanol imports should not be used for blending with gasoline. (August 25, 2010)