THE government has set as one of its top priorities the development of bio-power as an alternative source of energy in order to help reduce the country’s dependency on imported oil and oil products.

Dr. Enrie Mendoza, presidential assistant for Northern Luzon, told newsmen here that the program was endorsed by the Regional Development Council of Ilocos-Pangasinan headed by Ilocos Sur Governor Deogracias Savellano.

Mendoza said the program intends to bring about self-sufficiency on bio-ethanol, the blended mixture for petrochemicals, and the use of solar power in order to energize homes in remote villages yet to be reached by electricity.

He said production of bio-ethanol will be pursued through the massive planting of sweet sorghum in all feasible areas. He pointed out that sweet sorghum is a good source of bio-ethanol that can be mixed with gasoline in order to run engines.

In seeking massive production of sweet sorghum, Mendoza said that the region is very lucky because the Don Mariano Marcos State University in Batac, Ilocos Norte has already acquired a four to five-year experience in production of sweet sorghum seeds.

“We are now disseminating the technology (in the planting of sweet sorghum) to the farmers, aside from the fact that plantations for sweet sorghum are already in several sites,” he said.

He added that priority targets of the massive planting of sweet sorghum, among others, are farmers who do not earn enough incomes from their present crops and who want to shift to this bio-ethanol producing crop.

Sorghum is a cash crop essentially used for animal feeds. But molasses can be produced from its sweet juices.

Sweet sorghum can be planted anywhere, even in arid lands, which the Ilocos-Pangasinan region has plenty of, Mendoza stressed.

He said in promoting the planting of sweet sorghum, the government, through the Department of Agriculture, is now coming out with several models or demonstration farms in the barangay level.

At the same time, Mendoza said that the search for alternative energy source will be exemplified through the use of solar or wind power for the purpose of the common household in the region.

“Maybe, solar power is more appropriate here in Region 1 because of the continued sunshine for almost nine months of the year or year-round,” Mendoza said.

Mendoza sees “solarization” as the answer to the problems of villages that can not be reached by electric lines, adding that there are several areas that are now being piloted for the project.

He said he will ask the Pangasinan State University to pilot the putting up of solar power that will energize a far-flung barangay in San Nicolas, Pangasinan that requested for the project.

Solar power is also being sought in the more interior areas of La Union, Ilocos Sur and Cordilleras, adding that the hinterland town of Del Pilar, Ilocos Sur already has one. (PNA)