by T. Villavert

Iloilo City (3 March) -- Buses fueled by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is expected to operate in the Visayas by 2015 bolstering the government's effort to attain energy sufficiency and independence from imported fuel.

This was disclosed by Assisstant Director Carmencita A. Bariso of the Department of Energy during a forum in the recently conducted Philippine Energy Plan held in Iloilo City.

Bariso said that the government has made a significant strides on alternative energy for transport, stressing some 34 buses are currently running on CNG from Southern Tagalog to Manila routes, and under the pilot phase of the Natural Gas Vehicle Program for Public Transport (NGVT), the target is to have 200 buses commercially operating by 2010.

The NGVT is envisioned to enhance the energy supply security in the transport sector through fuel diversification using indigenous natural gas.

Natural gas is a clean burning alternative fuel for vehicle which has the potential to produce substantially lower pollutant emissions and can provide a solution to the pressing environmental problems in urban areas.

For the Visayas region, around 178 buses are expected to be CNG-fueled by 2015 and 1,314 buses in year 2030, Bariso said.

Basing on JICA study on Capability Enhancement on Policy and Planning for a More Effective and Comprehensive Philippine Energy Plan Formulation, Bariso said that it is projected that 10,000 buses in Luzon, Visayas and Mindano will be fueled with Compressed Natural Gas.

Meanwhile, Implementing the Natural gas vehicle Program for Public Transport is provided for under Executive Order 290.

As stipulated in the said EO, the Malampaya Gas-to-Power Project represents the beginning of the natural gas industry in the Philippines with three gas-fired power plants with a total installed capacity of 2,760 MW as initial customers.