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A Korean firm has signified its intent on embarking on a large-scale bio-fuels project in Bais City, Negros Oriental by 2009.

Mayor Hector Villanueva of Bais City, however, said the local government is keeping its caution on the proposal considering that it would entail vast tracts of land and the city might not be able to comply with the requirement.

If the project pans out, he said he would be coordinating with adjacent municipalities to provide the required 5,000 to 10,000 hectares of land for jatropha plantations.

Villanueva further said they would need to study the project offer within the next three months to ensure there will be a steady market for jatropha.

“We don’t want to wake up one day only to find out we have invested so much into this and there are no buyers”, he said.

The proposal comes as President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed into law the Renewable Energy Act designed to make the Philippines 60 percent energy-self sufficient by 2010.

Mayor Villanueva is hopeful the proposed jatropha plantation in Bais City will be viable as it will not only respond to the country’s efforts of using clean energy but it would also generate jobs. - PNA

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