Marcos certifies urgent bill to amend Biofuels Act

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has certified as urgent a measure seeking to amend the Biofuels Act of 2006.

In a letter to the two chambers of Congress dated March 16, Marcos said the urgent certification aims to mitigate the impact of rising fuel prices amid escalating geopolitical tensions and volatility in global oil markets.

The measure also seeks to strengthen the country’s resilience against future disruptions to energy supply, he added.

Republic Act 9367 or the Biofuels Act of 2006 mandates the use of locally sourced bioethanol in fuel blends to reduce the country’s dependence on imported fuel products.

The Philippine Biodiesel Association (TPBA) earlier said the law remains the country’s most reliable defense against its inherent vulnerability to imported fuels.

The group urged legislators to strengthen the current policies of the original law, rather than dilute or suspend them.—MCG, GMA Integrated News