MANILA — Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ Dy III said that the government is “all hands on deck” as the House of Representatives works to pass a bill allowing the suspension of the mandatory biofuel blending requirement under the “,”Biofuels Act of 2006”]. The move comes after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. certified the measure as urgent.

House Bill No. 8469, also known as the proposed Oil Price Stabilization Act, would allow the President to temporarily suspend mandatory biofuel blending if blended fuel prices are at least 5 percent higher than pure fuel, providing relief for pump prices.

“The President’s certification makes clear that this is an urgent matter affecting every Filipino household and the entire economy. The House stands ready to act swiftly on this measure so we can give government the flexibility to stabilize fuel prices,” Dy said.

He added, “Our priority is to protect consumers, keep transport and production costs manageable, and ensure that energy supply remains stable.”

The bill seeks to amend Section 5 of the Biofuels Act to let the President suspend the mandatory use of locally sourced biofuels for up to one year, upon recommendation from the National Biofuels Board and the Department of Energy.

HB 8469 is now up for second reading in the House plenary after the Committee on Energy, chaired by Palawan Rep. Jose Alvarez, approved it last week.

Under the 1987 Constitution, a presidential certification as urgent allows Congress to skip the usual requirement of approving a bill on separate days for second and third readings, expediting its passage in response to public need.

Dy said the amendment gives the government flexibility to respond to abnormal price swings in the global oil market. Currently, gasoline and diesel sold in the Philippines must contain biofuel components such as bioethanol and biodiesel. While the policy supports renewable energy and local biofuel industries, blending requirements can raise pump prices when biofuel supply tightens or costs increase.

“Allowing the temporary suspension of the blending requirement during such periods would help ease cost pressures and prevent unnecessary increases in pump prices,” Dy said.

“At the end of the day, our responsibility is clear: protect Filipino consumers from avoidable fuel price increases while ensuring that our energy supply remains stable and responsive to global developments.”