Agriculture chief bans feedstock imports for bioethanol production

BACOLOD CITY — Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has ordered a halt to the importation of feedstock — including molasses, sugar, sugarcane, and sugar syrups — for bioethanol production to protect the domestic sugar industry and local farmers.

Laurel, in Sugar Order No. 4, Series of 2025-2026 dated May 22 this year but released to the media on Thursday, June 25, said the directive introduces a strict prohibition to correct a long-standing policy gap.

The amendment explicitly addresses loopholes found in the original Sugar Order No. 14, Series of 2008-09, which had previously allowed for the importation of molasses, sugar, sugarcane, and sugar syrups for use as feedstock in manufacturing bioethanol subject to Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) regulation.

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The  “Biofuels Act of 2006,” Republic Act 9367, and Department of Energy (DOE) Circulars No. DC-2007-05-0006 and  DC-2011-02-0001, do not allow the importation of feedstock for the manufacture of bioethanol, the secretary said in Sugar Order No. 4.

What RA 9367 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations allow is the qualified importation of bioethanol itself, not the raw feedstock used to produce it, he said.

Section 5 of RA 9367 dictates that all liquid fuels for motors and engines sold in the Philippines should contain locally-sourced biofuels, which the DOE circulars clearly define as bioethanol derived from feedstocks grown, planted, harvested, and processed in the Philippines, Laurel’s order noted.

The order states that permitting external feedstock into the production chain harms the local agricultural sector.

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The importation of feedstock such as molasses and sugar or sugarcane for use in bioethanol production is contrary to the policy advanced under Section 2 of RA 9367, as the adverse effect on the demand and price of locally produced molasses and sugar is detrimental to the welfare of the Filipino sugar farmers and the entire sugar industry, it added.

The order states that Section 16 of DOE Department Circular No. DC-2007-05-0006 does not authorize the SRA to allow these feedstock importations.

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Laurel’s order officially amended Section 6 of Sugar Order No. 14, Series of 2008-09.

The newly revised section dictates that unless otherwise authorized by the National Biofuels Board, the importation of feedstock for use in the manufacture of bioethanol, including but not limited to molasses, sugar, sugarcanes, sugar syrups, and other products derived from sugarcane and sugar, shall be prohibited. /das

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