The Department of Agriculture (DA) has confirmed growing calls to amend Joint Administrative Order No. 2008-1, which limits approved bioethanol raw materials to only sugarcane and molasses, to include corn as an additional feedstock. The proposal remains under review and awaits final decision from the National Biofuels Board, with officials noting the move is being reconsidered amid an ongoing fuel crisis.
Proponents argue the change would give farmers extra income during lean periods. A study from the University of the Philippines Los Baños suggests using seasonal surpluses of yellow corn—especially during the wet season when prices fall and drying is difficult—for fuel production. The Department of Energy previously noted that shifting to higher ethanol blends like E20 could cut pump prices by up to P5 per liter and strengthen energy security by lowering reliance on imported oil.
However, livestock and poultry groups have raised strong concerns. Local output meets only 62.7 percent of national yellow corn demand, and the crop makes up about half of animal feed ingredients. Industry leaders warned that diverting corn to fuel would force greater imports, hitting hog and poultry producers still recovering from African Swine Fever. While feed millers suggested using a byproduct of ethanol processing to ease shortages, livestock stakeholders said this would not fully replace direct corn supplies.
To resolve these competing interests, government agencies are now looking at using idle lands and ancestral domains to expand corn cultivation, aiming to boost supply without reducing crops meant for food or feed.
The debate balances potential energy savings and farm income against food security and livestock stability, highlighting how policy changes in one sector can ripple across the entire agricultural and energy landscape.
