President Marcos certifies Biofuels Amendment bill as urgent

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has certified as urgent a measure seeking to amend the Biofuels Act of 2006 to cushion the impact of rising fuel prices and strengthen the country’s energy resilience.

In a letter dated March 16 addressed to Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Marcos called for the immediate passage of Senate Bill No. 1965, which proposes amendments to Section 5 of the existing law.

The certification stated that the measure aims to mitigate the effects of increasing fuel prices amid escalating geopolitical tensions and volatility in global oil markets, while also boosting the country’s capacity to withstand future energy supply disruptions.

Under the Constitution, a presidential certification allows Congress to dispense with the usual requirement of three readings on separate days, enabling faster approval of priority legislation.

The Biofuels Act of 2006 laid down the government’s policy of reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels by promoting the development and use of locally produced biofuels. It requires blending bioethanol with gasoline and biodiesel with diesel to advance renewable energy use, support agriculture, and cut greenhouse gas emissions.

The proposed amendments are expected to improve the country’s ability to respond to fuel price shocks while further encouraging alternative and renewable energy sources.

Marcos’ urgent certification forms part of broader government efforts to ease the impact of rising fuel costs linked to ongoing tensions in the Middle East.

Earlier, the president also certified as urgent a separate bill allowing the temporary suspension or reduction of excise taxes on petroleum products during national or global economic emergencies. The measure is intended to help stabilize local fuel prices and enable quicker government response to fluctuations in global oil markets.

The certification follows an earlier administration proposal seeking emergency powers to address surges in global oil prices stemming from tensions in the Middle East.

Marcos said the request for emergency powers is meant to give the executive branch greater flexibility to act swiftly should oil prices spike, noting that the proposed measure would allow such powers to be exercised once prices reach a certain threshold.

-Paraluman News