The town of Lingayen has also large area of nipa plantation especially in Barangay Bantayan, Lingayen .( photo courtesy of Professor Francis Albert T. Argente)
Vice-President for Research and Development Extension (RDE) Dr. Paulo V. Cenas said that as the province is the major source of nipa products in Region 1 with its vast areas of nipa marshes, they have decided to look into the possibility of producing ethanol and other alcohol-based disinfectants out of nipa.
Cenas said a team headed by the Director for Research and Development Professor Francis Albert T. Argente and the PSU Bioethanol RDE Team are now seriously considering the neighboring towns of Lingayen and Bugallon as the production sites for the project.
Both towns have large nipa plantations, especially in Barangay Bantayan, Lingayen and Barangay Pantal, Bugallon.
The town of Lingayen has also large area of nipa plantation especially in Barangay Bantayan, Lingayen .( photo courtesy of Professor Francis Albert T. Argente)
A bioethanol facility in Bugallon was established in 2017 by the National Bioenergy Research and Innovation Center in partnership with PSU.
Cenas said the team is now collaborating with the barangay and farmers’ organization officials of Barangay Bantayan to discuss the possibility of establishing a village-scale bioethanol facility in the community similar to that in Barangay Pantal, Bugallon.
Cenas added that the production of ethanol and other disinfectants will provide the province and the entire region with an ample supply of alcohol under the "new normal."