BACOLOD City — Amid rising global fuel costs, fisherfolk in this city are turning to an alternative energy source after receiving free biodiesel in a bid to ease the burden of expensive petroleum.
The initiative was led by Lone District Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez in partnership with biofuels advocate Engr. Ian Fred Solas.
About 600 liters of biofuel were distributed to beneficiaries from Barangay Singcang, Barangay 1, and Barangay Banago during an event held on April 8 in Barangay Singcang.
The program aims to help small-scale fisherfolk reduce operational costs at a time when fuel prices remain elevated due to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
Benitez funded the biodiesel project in 2023 from personal resources when he was still mayor of Bacolod City, in collaboration with Solas, the project’s proponent.
During the distribution, Solas demonstrated how used cooking oil can be processed into a viable alternative fuel—significantly cheaper than conventional diesel.
Biofuel produced through the initiative costs around P22 per liter, compared to prevailing diesel prices ranging from P150 to P160 per liter.
“This program is about giving our fisherfolk a practical way to cope with rising fuel costs,” Solas said.
The initiative has gained support from both government and private partners, with Benitez encouraging the public to contribute used cooking oil to sustain the program.
Local officials and barangay leaders also joined the distribution, highlighting a growing push at the community level to explore alternative energy solutions.
The effort comes as fuel price hikes continue to affect multiple sectors, including transport operators and farmers nationwide.
For his part, Senator Francis Escudero has called for a temporary fuel subsidy to help public utility drivers cope with escalating costs, warning that transport groups in cities such as Bacolod, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro, and Cebu are already cutting operations or facing possible shutdowns.
He said similar assistance should be extended to farmers and fisherfolk, noting that rising fuel prices have forced many to scale back production.
“We must act quickly to prevent deeper disruptions in food production and supply,” Escudero said.
Escudero added that both national and local governments should consider providing fuel subsidies to public utility vehicles and tricycles in the form of cash or fuel vouchers while prices remain high.
