‘Diesel from tuba-tuba? Why not?’

Can Filipinos soon use "tuba-tuba" to fuel their cars?

A lawmaker who is pushing for the use of alternative sources of fuel, including oil extracted from the jatropha tree, thinks this is the best way for the country to combat rising prices of crude oil on the world market.

Isabela Rep. Anthony Miranda said he has begun a jatropha plantation project in his own district and has plans to establish an oil refinery plant to process the oil extracted from the jatropha seed, popularly known as "tuba-tuba" or physic nut.

"Jatropha is a very rich source of diesel fuel. Three kilos of seeds can produce a liter of diesel fuel," Miranda told reporters during the weekly Balitaan sa Rembrandt Hotel forum in Quezon City the other day.

According to reports, jatropha fuel emits water vapor, rather than carbon dioxide, when burned.

Miranda said that with the rising prices of oil in the world market, it is high time that the government shifts to alternative sources of energy that are very abundant in the countryside.

He said planting one hectare of jatropha trees could produce about 3,500 liters of diesel fuel in 18 months’ time. The jatropha tree can thrive in any environment and needs very little care.

"We are coordinating with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and other government agencies for the massive planting of jatropha plants all over the country," he said.

Miranda, who is also the spokesman of the pro-administration Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi), said the Philippines should start producing its own fuel to counter the impending oil crisis.

He said with a shift to alternative sources of fuel and electricity, there would no longer be any need for the government to worry about importing oil from the Middle East.

Aside from jatropha diesel, other alternative fuels on the local market are compressed natural gas, coco diesel and ethanol, which can be blended with fuel in selected gasoline stations.