By Alena Mae S. Flores

The Energy Department has invited investors to put up two compressed natural gas refilling stations in preparation for the start of the commercial phase of the alternative fuel program for public transport.

“The CNG refilling stations will be constructed by the private sector,” Energy director Mario Marasigan said. “The projects are open to anybody interested to invest.”

The department earlier initiated talks with IMW Industries Ltd. of Canada to conduct a study on the development of a CNG infrastructure for the transport industry. The study includes the possible sites for CNG refiling stations.

IMW Industries is an international supplier of CNG equipment (bus and taxi fleets) and gas power generation plants.

Only one CNG mother facility so far operates in the Philippines. It is owned by the Shell Group under a pilot project with the government.

The CNG daughter refilling station in Mamplasan, Laguna serves the needs of buses plying the Batangas-Manila route.

Energy said in a report that it would accredit more bus operators in the Natural Gas Vehicle Program for Public Transport scheme to increase the number of CNG buses to 185 next year. The government targets around 2,000 buses to run on CNG fuel by 2010.

The department has issued four certificate of authority to import more CNG buses to accredited bus operators.

There are 24 CNG buses plying along the Cubao-Batangas/Laguna route. The department renewed the accreditation of seven CNG bus operators, including KL CNGBUS Transport and HM Transport.

The government conceded that the growth of the CNG industry remained largely dependent on natural gas from the Malampaya gas field in northwest Palawan.

Malampaya operators, led by Shell Philippines Exploration B.V., recently invited bidders to purchase excess gas production from the field equivalent to about 150 billion cubic feet.

Interested bidders included Callandra LCNG Fuels Corp. Callandra is the Philippines’ first and company accredited by the government to develop a CNG fueling infrastructure for the public transport sector.