Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 5) – President Rodrigo Duterte will issue an executive order directing government agencies to patronize food and non-food coconut products in their projects and events in an attempt to help farmers suffering from low prices of copra or dried coconut meat, his spokesman said Wednesday.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement Tuesday that the chief has also given the nod to the Department of Agriculture’s proposal for legislation that will make firms ‘fully’ comply with the Biofuels Act of 2006, That law calls for locally-sourced biodiesel component to be blended into imported fuel sold in the country.
“The new Administrator of the Philippine Coconut Authority General Benjie Madrigal, provided recommendations on behalf of Secretary William Dar for said purpose, such as: the full compliance of 2% Coconut Methyl Ester (CME) blend as mandated by the Biofuels Act of 2006. Inclusion of a proposed bill on the matter in the President’s priority legislative agenda,” Panelo said after the 46th meeting of the Cabinet members on Tuesday at the Malacañan Palace.
During the first year of implementing the Biofuels law, only one percent of CME was mixed with diesel. The percentage doubled the following year, and it stayed at that level since.
