Manila, March 12 -- A lawmaker in Northern Samar welcomed on Thursday the House Committee on Energy's approval of a substitute bill to temporarily suspend the mandatory use of biofuels for up to one year amid the global rise in fuel prices.

The bill, according to Northern Samar 2nd District Rep. Edwin Ongchuan, amends Section 5 of Republic Act No. 9367, also known as the Biofuels Act of 2006.

"The measure allows the President, upon recommendations from the National Biofuels Board and the Department of Energy, to temporarily suspend the mandatory use of biofuels for up to one year if blended fuel prices rise by at least five percent compared to pure gasoline or diesel," Ongchuan stated on Thursday.

The substitute bill, which consolidate...