House Speaker Jose de Venecia and other senior House leaders rushed over the weekend the passage of the bill that will compel the use of indigenous compressed natural gas for buses and trucks, in the wake of the skyrocketing price of oil, now hitting the above $95 per barrel, a press release from Congress said.

The use of CNG is expected to reduce passenger and cargo fares and avoid carbon dioxide emissions.

De Venecia met last week with Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes, Development Bank of the Philippines president Rey David, and former Energy Secretary Vince Perez to finalize the legislation co-authored by House Energy Committee Chairman Mikey Arroyo and Parañaque Rep. Eduardo Zialcita.

The measure is being finalized with the assistance of the technical task force headed by Deputy Secretary-General RV Vicerra of the House Congressional Planning and Budget Department, and DOE experts, the press release said.

De Venecia said that at P14 per liter, the use of CNG will significantly reduce the cost of fuel since the pump price of diesel is P34 per liter.

We are introducing immediately national impact legislation to address the rampaging petroleum price increases and to reduce polluting carbon dioxide emissions, he said.

CNG-powered buses and trucks are available from the United States , Canada , India , and China .

Their might not even be a need for legislative compulsion because the P34 to P14 price differential between diesel and CNG is very practical and attractive, De Venecia said, adding that the price will readily offset the cost of buying new CNG-powered buses or converting existing ones.

We will find ways and means to deliver the CNG from the Malampaya-Palawan oil and gas fields to the Visayas and Mindanao to eventually cover the entire country, he said in the press release.*

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