Thursday, March 08, 2007 Pampanga to produce ethanol By Albert B. Lacanlale
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Farmers from Pampanga and Tarlac have allowed a private firm to lease their lands for the corporate farming of feedstock for the production of fuel ethanol.
On Wednesday, the farmers formalized their nod by entering into a partnership with the Pampanga Industrial Park Corp. (PIPC) and E-Cane Fuel Corp. (ECFC) as they began receiving the first check for the lease payment. The lease agreement is for a period of 25 years with assurance of annual increases in land rent.
Also, the farmers are assured of benefits from the Philhealth program as part of the initiative under the project's Corporate Social Responsibility Program (CSRP).
ECFC chairperson Jean-Pierre Monclin witnessed the brief program held at the PIPC office at the GR Bank Business Center in San Fernando.
"They are our partners in this pioneering project," Monclin said in appreciation of the trust the farmers have given both companies. The ECFC, a US-based company, will handle the technological aspect of manufacturing ethanol, a clean source of fuel.
Monclin said the project is being undertaken in support of Republic Act (RA) 9367 or Bio-Fuels Act of 2006 that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed on January 17, 2007.
It is part of the Philippine government's commitment to the Declaration on East Asian Energy Security that the President and 15 leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) ratified during the 12th Asean Summit in Cebu.
The law's stated policy is to reduce dependence on imported fuels with due regard to the protection of public health, environmental and natural ecosystems consistent with the country's sustainable economic growth that would expand opportunities for livelihood by mandating the use of bio-fuels.
Monclin said ECFC's technology is environmentally sound and complies with the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts of the Philippines as well as with all existing requirement of the Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement in the reduction of harmful gasses.
As the company is serious with ethanol production, it is also serious in helping improve the lives of farmers and their communities, he said. The PIPC and ECFC undertake this through a strong corporate social responsibility program.
Decent employment, farmers improvement, standby credit during calamities, health and education assistance, and sale of plant's excess electricity from bagasse -- a dry and fibrous residue after the extraction of juice from sugar cane -- are components of the program.
"We will not talk about 'your project' or 'my project.' This is our project. Together we will accomplish it," Monclin earlier told community farmers, more known as "Katuwang sa Pamayanan."
He hoped that more farmers would join the project. It initially needs over 4,000 hectares of adjoining lands to efficiently grow the feedstock. The project is to be undertaken starting in the areas of Magalang in Pampanga and of Concepcion in Tarlac.
Aside from the local benefits, Monclin said the project plans to supply the domestic market at least 30 percent of its yearly output. It will contribute to making the Philippines an exporter of ethanol to its Asian neighbors.
