news/updates
Biofuels board mulls one-stop-shop for investors
By Donnabelle L. Gatdula
Philippine Star
December 17, 2007
The National Biofuels Board (NBB) is looking at the possibility of putting up a one-stop-shop that would assist investors who would want to pour in capital in the country's biofuels industry.
Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri said the establishment of an entity that would supply all the needs of an investor could help spur the development of a sunshine industry like the biofuels.
"NBB could designate an account manager or hire staff that would facilitate in the entry of investors in this industry," Zubiri said.
He said the one-stop-shop would also expedite all registration and approvals needed by the investors.
To further promote the use of biofuels, the National Government allotted recently P90 million for the operation of the NBB.
NBB was created under the Biofuels Act of 2006 to perform its role as chief overseer of the government's alternative fuels program.
Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. said appropriations for the eight-person body is included the P3.6-billion obligation budget of the Department of Energy for 2008.
Under Republic Act 9367, or the Biofuels Law, the NBB shall be created for the purpose of monitoring, executing and evaluating the national biofuels program.
By law, it is empowered to ensure the supply and quality of biofuels, and to recommend any increase in the volume of biofuels to be blended with gasoline and diesel.
Members of the board are the Finance, Trade, Agriculture, Labor, Science and Technology secretaries, and the administrators of the Sugar Regulatory Administration and the Philippine Coconut Authority.
The allocation for NBB for 2008 would allow it to form a technical secretariat that will allow it to pursue its mandate.
Signed in November 2006, the Biofuels Law mandates the compulsory blending of one -ercent biodiesel, normally derived from coconut, with all diesel fuels sold in the country within three months after the law's effectivity. Within two years, a blend of five percent sugar cane-based bioethanol will be mixed with all gasoline sold and distributed in the country.
Zubiri said he is also urging President Arroyo to come up with an Executive Order for the conversion of land to be used for planting of biofuels' feedstocks into agri-industrial area.
According to Zubiri, the EO will be granted to bonafide investors and will only be limited to 20 hectares.
Each investor, he said, would have to apply for an approval to be qualified under the EO.
"This is a similar scheme like what President Arroyo did to geothermal development areas which are now considered as part of economic zones.
But this will be on a per proposal basis. It will not be omnibus or outright application or automatic conversion of land.
There has to be an agreement or concrete proofs of the project before the land is converted into an agri-industrial property," he said.
Once approved, he said the EO would cut the bureaucracy and lessen the complicated administrative procedures being undergone by investors.
"Normally, it takes one year to be able to get a go signal to enter into a biofuels development project.
But with the EO, this will be shorten to only about three months. The process will be a lot quicker.
