CAMPI backs legislative measure on biofuels

The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI) has expressed its support on the use of alternative fuels in the transport sector.

During the recent Bio-fuels Conference, CAMPI fuels and emission sub-committee chairman Jeff Matsuo the group has signified its support to a proposed one percent blend of coco-biodiesel.

Matsuo is also the head of Government and Regulations and Technical Section of Toyota Motors Corp.

"We believe that the one percent use of biodiesel for the auto industry is allowable," Matsuo said.

But Matsuo pointed out that the group only supports a one percent blend. "We need to have separate discussions if the blending ratio will be more than one percent," he said.

The support on the use of one percent pre-blending of coco-biodiesel is "an industry agreement and represents the overall position of CAMPI."

The CAMPI official said they have indicated their support to the Department of Energy (DOE) and the lawmakers who are now in the process of deliberating the proposed Biofuels Law.

"We have submitted to the DOE and Senate our position in support of government alternative fuels program," he said.

Matsuo, however said, the local car industry would need a two-year lead time from the passage of the bill for the use of these alternative fuels on new car models.

"We need more time to develop and manufacture vehicles. We need two years (from passage of the bill) to retrofit the new models," he said

Matsuo also pointed out that the group only endorses the use of coco-biodiesel and not yet for ethanol.

"We do not have endorsement yet for bioethanol.  We are not yet amenable," he said.

Meanwhile, Senator Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. renewed his call to shift to ethanol as a strategy to address fuel dependence.

Pimentel is the author of a bill, currently pending in the Senate, which aims to establish a National Fuel Ethanol Program. The Senate Committee on Energy is set to endorse a measure mandating the phased blending of five to 10 percent ethanol as a means to achieve energy security, environmental improvement, and employment generation.