The company already made its first FFV but mass production of this model for the market is still awaited.

The FFV model, called Ford Focus, is proudly a Philippine-made car that can run on either conventional gasoline or a combination of gasoline and bio-ethanol fuels.

Ethanol is a high-octane, water-free alcohol produced from the fermentation of sugar or converted starch; and can be utilized as a liquid in internal combustion engines either on its own or blended with petroleum.

"The government greatly appreciates this strategic initiative of Ford Philippines of manufacturing the first FFV in our country," Energy Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla said.

Last year, Ford Philippines committed to invest P1 billion to build a flexible fuel engine plant in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. Ford’s Flexible Fuel Vehicle Technology project is part of the commitment made by Ford Asia Pacific and Africa president Peter Daniel to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to make the Philippines as its ASEAN Center of Excellence for Flexible Fuel Technology.

"With the launching of Fords FFV, it now gives our country a unique edge in capturing the ASEAN region’s potentially huge FFV market," Lotilla said.

The government is direly scouring for some boosts in the country’s alternative energy program, especially since the proposed Biofuels Act is already undergoing deliberations in the Upper Chamber of Congress.

The energy chief sees Ford’s initiative as the path-breaking step for other car manufacturers to follow suit.

While oil companies and other car manufacturers have given initial nod on the use of bio-ethanol, they prefer to do this with utmost caution; thus, their bid for more extensive testing on the fuel’s use to vehicles.

One of the contentious concerns being resolved in the Biofuels bill is on which player should be giving the warranty to compensate vehicle owners when damage are reported on their use of ethanol or the proposed blend for diesel products - the coco methyl ester.

The government has been actively advocating the use of bioethanol and CME-blended diesel as alternative transport fuels to reduce the country’s dependence on imported fuels; shielding it from extreme price volatilities in the international market.

In the roster of oil companies which already made these products available in their gasoline stations are Seaoil and Flying V.

Several incentive packages have already been introduced to entice investors and promote wider utilization of alternative transport fuels.