ANGARA URGES DEVT FOR RP COCO TRADE, PROMOTE COCO-BIODIESEL

Senator Edgardo J. Angara is renewing his calls to the Senate to enact the Coconut Emergency Measure Act (Senate Bill 869) of 2007 to immediately address the dropping price situation in the country's coconut industry sector, as well as to bolster efforts in coco-biodiesel development.

This came after the unveiling of the country's first coconut biodiesel P3.5 Billion-project in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, a joint undertaking of the Philippine BioEnergy Northern Luzon Inc. (Benlinc) and its Japan-based partner, Pacific Bio-Fields Corporation.

"As coconut products are still among the top agricultural earners of the country and over 20 million Filipinos depend on the planting and harvesting of coconuts for their living, it will only be wise to make a significant move to improve our coconut industry and initiate such projects that could generate bio-fuel apart from the traditional products," said Angara, Chair of the Congressional Commission on Science and Technology and Engineering (COMSTE).

Recently there has been an excess in the global supply of coconut and its by-products, and domestic market is worsened by the introduction of synthetic materials, other sources of oils and fuels and alternative products sourced from other countries. If the coconut industry collapses, Angara warns, "millions of our Filipino farmers and their families will have nothing to put on their tables."

The unveiling of the Pagudpud project sheds hope in the local coconut industry. The recent trend in introducing coconut oil to the bio-fuel and renewable energy segment, manifested by such a milestone that is now commencing in Pagudpud, brings the country's coconut industry closer to maximizing the coconut farms and its by-products, including coco-biodiesel, to fruition. Hence his renewed encouragement to pass SB 869.

Furthermore, along SB 869 Angara is also pushing for the enactment of SB 3140 (Bioindustry Development Act of 2009) to stir the growth of the bio-technology in the country and tap the benefits of our diverse natural resources, in which the coconut farm industry is among the biggest. He seeks to establish the Philippine Bioindustry Research and Development Center to facilitate and expedite progress in our bio-technology potentials tapping domestic products for local consumption.

Sen. Angara concludes, "There is no better time to maximize our resources and keep up with the global trade of bio-technology and alternative fuel sources than now. We have enough resources; we just have to set the standards and best practices to see the best results."