Benguet officials back NGO plan to develop tree bio-fuel

By Jing Godio

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet --- The Benguet Sangguniang Panlalawigan has agreed to create a committee that will look at the conservation and exploitation of the native petroleum nut (Pittosporum resineferum) for Benguet folks.

This, after Dr. Michael Bengwayan, director of PINE TREE, The Cordillera Ecological center, upon the invitation of the SP, explained to SP members the potential of the petroleum nut as a biofuel and forestation material that acts as carbon sink to reduce global warming last November 2.

Bengwayan answered questions after presenting results of PINE TREE’s research about the nut. He discussed the properties and benefits of petroleum nut trees to the board during its regular session.

Bengwayan said the tree otherwise known as resin cheesewood, is endemic tree to the Cordillera region and is a better biofuel having 54% octane rating which is higher than that of Jatropha curcas which is currently being promoted by the national government.

He said extracted oil from the nut could be used for cooking when blended with kerosene and for lighting.

He added that this will help in the reduction of global warming as the tree is a carbon sink and the cutting of trees for fuel will be minimized.

Petroleum nut grows abundantly in Benguet and the borders of Mountain Province, Ifugao and Nueva Vizcaya area.

The tree is called apisang or abkel in Benguet, dael or dingo in Mountain Province and sagaga in Abra. One petroleum nut tree could yield 15 kilograms of fruits, which could produce up to 80 cubic centilitres of oil.

The presentation included the background on the efforts Bengwayan and his staff in finding how the tree could be cultivated.

This is effectively done by seed planting. Seeds are air dried and cleaned using ash, which is the best material that could take away the gummy substance wrapping the seeds. These seeds are sown in soil sterilized to kill the harmful microorganisms in the soil.

The board was informed that Kibungan, Kapangan, Kayapa and Kabayan were given seedlings including Mt Data and as far as Bicol, Zambales and Bulacan. The propagation is for local consumption of rural communities.

Board member Juan Nazaeno asked if PINE TREE could go further for by promoting the trees for commercial purposes. He said that convincing farmers, or any individual for that matter, is easier when they will learn that they can get income from it.

Bengwayan clarified that PINE TREE is a technical group, which trains farmers and other interested group in planting the trees but they cannot handle its marketing due to the legal nature of the group. He, however, pointed out that the propagation, conservation and promotion should be a multi-agency effort.

He added by informing the board of the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol.
A carbon trading that the province could look into if they want to give incentives to people who are interested in planting the trees. A matter which Vice Governor Cresencio Pacalso said that the province should study and act upon since it is not seen as an effort that any municipality will do on its own.

Bengwayan announced that on December, there will be an official launching on how the petroleum nut oil can run small water pump. This is another manifestation on how high the potential of this tree as alternative source of energy. He informed the body that there have been numbers of international companies who showed their interest in this biofuel tree.

He said benefits should first and foremost be given to the local communities. In which he added that the tree is at risk of biopiracy and appealed to the board to make a move in processing its patent, and make it under the Benguet Province.

Board Member Nestor Dangwa proposed that the board form a natural resource committee not only to look into patenting petroleum nut but other endemic species in the province.

Advocating the propagation and conservation of the petroleum nut tree is part of PINE TREE’s mandate which is to develop local solutions for global environmental problems.