The province of Negros Occidental yesterday launched the Jatropha Processing and Research Center for Bio-Fuel at the Technology and Livelihood Development Center of the province in Bacolod City.

To seal its commitment and aims, the provincial government signed the memorandum of agreement with the academe and other agencies to strengthen the efforts on this research.

Fr. Frederick Comenador of Colegio San Agustin-Bacolod, Dr. Renato Salmingo of Carlos Hilado Memorial State College, and Dr. Freddie Maningo of Negros State College of Agriculture were the representatives of the academe.

Igmedio Tabianan, Negros Occidental provincial agriculturist, said the province has 792,607 hectares of land and 500,000 of which is devoted to agriculture.

The remaining 292,607 are idle lands, he said, that can be utilized for the jathropa plantation.

Antonio Labios, Visayas Field Office director of Department of Energy lauded the initiative of the provincial government in this project.

Labios said, bio-fuel is a renewable energy, is bio-degradable and can contribute to the economic benefits of the province through jobs.

Bio-fuel has more powerful diesel properties and it can minimize the carbon dioxide emission, he added.

Bayawan City Mayor German Saraña of Negros Oriental, meanwhile, certified the wonders of jathropa when he announced that his vehicle has been 100 percent fueled with bio-diesel for almost a year.

The province has a total of 227.20 hectares of plantation sites situated in seven local government units, data from the TLDC showed.

Brgy. Rizal in Sagay City has 2.20 hectares, Brgy. Magsaysay of Cadiz City has 200, Brgy. Gawahon of Victorias City has 2 hectares, Brgy. Gimbalaon of Silay City has 3 hectares; Hacienda Binitin of Murcia has 7, Brgy. Tubunan of Bago City has 3 and Brgy. Tabugon of Kabankalan City has 10 hectares.*LTG

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