The government is carrying out testing on the technical viability of a 20 percent mix of coconut methyl ester (CME), popularly bio-diesel, with petroleum fuel in an aim to help ease down fuel price.

Philippine Coconut Authority Deputy Administrator Carlos Carpio said PCA is conducting technical tests of the higher mixture of CME with petroleum-based diesel particularly as requested by the local government of Lucena City, Quezon.

"We need to study the technicalities in using it without engine modification. We will also study (benefits) like (increased) mileage," he said.

Mayor Ramon Talaga, Jr. wants his local government or the entire Quezon province to be the bio-diesel capital of the Philippines, hence the tests. Quezon province may really be the right province to pursue a higher CME mix as it is one of the Philippines' biggest coconut producers, producing higher than the whole of Bicol Region.

The 20 percent mix will be a big leap from the present one percent mandated mix of CME with diesel. The Biofuels Act mandates the higher mix of two percent by 2009, but that is still way below Lucena City's objective.