THE GOVERNMENT is considering raising the mandatory bioethanol blend in gasoline to 15% (E15) to help temper pump prices and expand domestic production, the Department of Energy (DoE) said.
Energy Undersecretary Alessandro O. Sales said the National Bioefuels Board is studying an increase in the blend to E15 from the current E10.
“It could help temper gasoline prices,” Mr. Sales told reporters last week.
Bioethanol is a sugarcane or corn byproduct for mixing with gasoline. Biodiesel incorporates vegetable oil, animal fat, or used cooking oil with diesel.
Republic Act No. 9367, otherwise known as the Biofuels Act of 2006, requires the use of locally sourced biofuel components in liquid fuels sold in the Philippines.
Since February 2009, oil firms had been required to offer a 2% biodiesel blend in all diesel fuel sold and distributed in the country.
Oil companies were also required to blend at least 5% bioethanol into gasoline, a mandate that was raised to 10% in 2011.
In 2024, the government raised the mandatory coco methyl ester blend in diesel fuel sold nationwide to 3% by volume, from 2% previously. The blend was initially scheduled to increase to 4% by October 2025 and 5% by October 2026.
The implementation, however, has been suspended due to the high cost of coconut oil.
Meanwhile, oil companies may voluntarily offer gasoline containing up to 20% bioethanol by volume, known as E20.
Mr. Sales said the government seeks to increase the domestic supply of bioethanol by expanding the range of feedstocks.
“However, one thing about bioethanol is that we allow imports when domestic supply is insufficient,” Mr. Sales said.
“With the introduction of corn as a feedstock, local supply could potentially increase because we would have more raw materials for production, including sugarcane, molasses and corn,” he added.
While allowing corn as a feedstock could help expand production, he said it may not immediately close the supply gap.
Mr. Sales said cheaper imported bioethanol could help temper pump prices by lowering the cost of the gasoline blend.
Since the start of the year, domestic fuel price adjustments have resulted in net increases of P73.15 per liter for gasoline, P61.82 for diesel, and P63.76 for kerosene, more than tripling their full-year net increases recorded in 2025 as a result of the Middle East war. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera