President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. has certified as urgent a proposed measure seeking to amend the country’s biofuels law in a bid to mitigate the impact of rising fuel prices and ensure energy supply stability.

In a letter dated March 16 addressed to Senate President Vicente 'Tito' Sotto III, Marcos urged the Senate to immediately pass Senate Bill No. 1965, which proposes amendments to Republic Act No. 9367.

“I hereby certify to the necessity of the immediate enactment of Senate Bill No. 1965… to mitigate the impact of rising fuel prices amid escalating geopolitical tensions and volatility in global markets, as well as to strengthen the country’s resilience against future disruptions to energy supply,” Marcos said in the letter.

The measure aims to cushion the effects of rising petroleum product prices amid heightened tensions in the Middle East and instability in global oil markets.

Senate Bill No. 1965 specifically seeks to amend Section 5 of the Biofuels Act of 2006. Under the proposed amendment, the President may authorize the importation of biofuel components, including bioethanol and biodiesel, through an executive order under certain conditions.

This authority may be exercised if the price of blended gasoline or diesel becomes at least 5 percent higher than pure fuel, allowing the government to adjust supply sources and stabilize prices.

The proposed changes are intended to provide the government with greater flexibility in addressing fuel price spikes while strengthening the country’s capacity to respond to disruptions in energy supply.