Importing bioethanol by oil companies against the law according to Philippines DOE

In the Philippines, government official and Energy Undersecretary, Wimpy Fuentebella from the Department of Energy told ABS CBN News that it is against the law to bring down gasoline prices by allowing oil firms to import cheaper bioethanol. Instead, oil companies need to use locally produced bioethanol.

The suggestion to import cheaper bioethanol from abroad originally came from the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) as a way to help lower fuel prices in the Philippines. ECOP acting president Sergio Ortiz-Luis estimated that gasoline prices could go down by P2 to P3 if oil firms are allowed to use imported ethanol, according to ABS CBN News.

The current Biofuels Act requires all gasoline sold in the country to have a 10% bioethanol blend.