U.S. Joins Flowers Festival In Philppines

ONE OF THE MOST ELABORATE FLOATS in this year’s Penagbenga Festival parade Sunday in Baguio City is composed of flowers as well as fuels.

The Baguio Clean Cities Coalition, Caltex Corporation, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) are co-sponsoring a float constructed of sugar cane, corn, coconut, and other organic components of biofuels in combination with traditional flowers including roses, calla lily, chrysanthemum and anturium, the U.S. Embassy said in a statement sent to the Mindanao Examiner.

The "Biofuels Float" will raise awareness among Penagbenga Festival participants of the landmark Biofuels Act of 2006, which mandates increased usage of biofuels in all vehicles to reduce air pollution and protect the health of Filipinos, it said.

"The Biofuels Float’s clean air message is especially relevant for Baguio City, where representatives from the public and private sector have joined together to restore the scent of pines to the Philippines’ most famous mountain city."

"The American people, through USAID and the U.S. Department of Energy, are contributing to these efforts by sponsoring clean air public service announcements in local movie theaters and providing Baguio City officials with equipment, materials, and training to monitor smoke-belching vehicles and implement a public awareness campaign," it said.

USAID is also engaged in nationwide efforts to promote a healthier environment.

Last week, a 50-vehicle “Biofuels Caravan” traversed the Philippines from Pagudpud in Luzon to Davao City in Mindanao to publicize the recent passage of the Biofuels Act and to promote use of alternative fuels for cleaner air.

All caravan vehicles ran on bioethanol or biodiesel blended fuel, which produce significantly less air pollution than traditional gasoline or diesel fuel. In addition to USAID, sponsors of the caravan included the Philippine Department of Energy, the Philippine Fuel Ethanol Alliance, Ford Philippines, independent gas retailers Seaoil and Flying V, and local governments of the major urban areas visited by the caravan.