MANILA – In a fervent plea to lawmakers, the Philippine Biodiesel Association (TPBA) is raising the alarm over a proposed bill that could yank the rug out from under the nation’s coconut farmers, potentially dooming millions to economic hardship and choking cities with dirtier air. The “Murang Langis” (Cheap Oil) Act, or House Bill No. 4151, dangles the threat of suspending mandatory coco-biodiesel blending whenever blended diesel costs just 5 percent more than straight petroleum – a move TPBA calls a reckless gamble on rural livelihoods and public health.
At stake is the B3 mandate, which requires blending 3 percent coconut methyl ester (CME) into diesel, a policy that’s been a lifeline for the archipelago’s coconut sector since 2007. TPBA executive director Ramon Taniola didn’t mince words in a statement slamming the bill as a “bridge at risk” between today’s struggling farms and a modernized future. “When you remove stability from the coconut market, you don’t just affect companies—you affect families, entire communities and 25 million Filipinos whose livelihoods depend on coconuts,” Taniola said.
The group’s beef boils down to cold, hard economics and environmental math. They argue that coco-biodiesel isn’t the pricey villain lawmakers paint it as – it’s often on par with or cheaper than pure diesel, delivering 6 to 10 percent better mileage that nets drivers P17 billion to P32.6 billion in annual savings. Plus, it slashes soot emissions by up to 95 percent, dodging pollution-linked health bills that could hit P1.86 trillion to P2.2 trillion yearly. “Cleaner air is a national benefit, not an industry perk,” Taniola emphasized. “The health savings alone outweigh any temporary difference in pump price.”
But the real kicker? That suspension clause would breed uncertainty, scaring off investors and stalling farm upgrades at a time when the government is pumping P3.5 billion into planting 100 million new coconut trees over the next three years. For the 25 million Filipinos tied to the industry – from Ilocos planters to Mindanao millers – it’s not just fuel; it’s food on the table and a shot at progress. Taniola warned that the bill could unravel decades of regional gains, leaving rural communities high and dry while urban smog thickens. “This is bigger than fuel. This is about people—those who grow our coconuts, those who breathe our air and those who will inherit the country we are building today,” he added. “HB 4151 puts all of that at risk.”
Lawmakers behind the bill tout it as a shield for consumers against pump-price spikes, but TPBA counters that it’s shortsighted – ignoring biodiesel’s role in everything from steadying rural incomes to hitting sustainability targets. As the House weighs the measure, the association is calling on Congress to see the bigger picture: Treat biodiesel not as a cost center, but as a strategic powerhouse for people, planet, and prosperity. With coconut prices already volatile and climate threats looming, the stakes feel higher than ever. Will Manila pump the brakes on this fuel fight, or let the blend go bust? For now, the industry’s holding its breath – and urging the nation to do the same.