The Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) is pushing for an immediate increase in the country’s coco-biodiesel blending requirement from 3 per cent to 5 per cent as part of efforts to strengthen energy security and provide renewed support to the domestic coconut sector.
The proposal is being advanced under Republic Act 9367, or the Biofuels Act of 2006, which promotes the use of biofuels in the country’s energy mix, The Chronicle reported.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the department has already submitted a policy resolution supporting the shift to lawmakers and the Department of Energy (DoE), following the approval of Resolution 03 series of 2026 by the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries-National Sectoral Committee.
According to Tiu Laurel, the proposal has received backing from the private sector and has been forwarded to Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Francis Pangilinan and Energy Secretary Sharon Garin, who also serves as chair of the National Biofuels Board (NBB).
The proposed transition aims to expand the use of coconut methyl ester (CME), a biodegradable biodiesel produced from coconut oil and blended into petroleum fuels. The Department of Agriculture said CME generates lower sulfur emissions and greenhouse gas output compared with conventional diesel.
The National Biofuels Board had earlier suspended the move after international coconut oil prices surged by around 300 per cent. However, the department said current market conditions now support resumption of the transition.
Tiu Laurel said the move should be viewed as a long-term market intervention rather than an immediate solution to fuel price pressures, noting that local price adjustments may take between six and 12 months amid continuing global supply chain disruptions.
Despite this timeline, industry stakeholders see the increase in coco-biodiesel blending as an important measure to strengthen both the energy and agricultural sectors.
The Agriculture Secretary said the shift is expected to support agricultural price stability and improve incomes for an estimated 2.5 million to 3.5 million coconut farmers across the country.
He added that the initiative represents more than alignment with international environmental standards and reflects a broader investment in the future of farmers, workers and families dependent on the coconut economy.
The department also expects the measure to reduce the country’s dependence on imported fuels.
Supporting the proposal, Philippine Coconut Authority administrator Dexter Buted said the resolution has the potential to provide a major boost to the coconut industry and strengthen livelihoods connected to the sector.
