MANILA — The House of Representatives is acting promptly to pass a bill that would allow the temporary suspension of the country’s mandatory biofuel blending requirement, following President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s certification of the measure as urgent. Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III said the government is prioritizing the effort to stabilize fuel costs for Filipino consumers.
House Bill No. 8469, dubbed the Oil Price Stabilization Act, would permit the President to suspend mandatory blending of biofuels if prices for blended fuels rise at least 5 percent above the cost of conventional fuels. The legislation aims to prevent steep increases in gasoline and diesel prices.
“The urgent certification signals the gravity of the situation for every household and the economy as a whole,” Dy said. “The House is ready to act decisively to give the government the flexibility it needs to manage fuel prices effectively.”
The proposed amendment to Section 5 of Republic Act No. 9367, or the Biofuels Act of 2006, would allow the President to suspend the use of locally produced biofuels for up to one year, upon recommendation from the Department of Energy and the National Biofuels Board.
The bill, which recently secured approval from the House Committee on Energy led by Palawan Rep. Jose Alvarez, is now up for second reading in the House plenary. Presidential certification of urgency under Article VI, Section 26(2) of the 1987 Constitution lets Congress speed up the process by skipping the normal requirement of separate reading days.
Dy explained that the amendment provides the government with the flexibility to react to unexpected swings in global oil markets. While biofuel blending supports renewable energy and local industries, it can occasionally drive up fuel costs if biofuel prices rise or supplies are limited.
“Allowing temporary suspension of the blending requirement during such periods helps ease cost pressures and prevents avoidable increases at the pump,” Dy said. “Ultimately, our responsibility is to protect consumers while ensuring a stable and responsive energy supply.”
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