Billions of pesos worth of investment in seaweeds research and production in Bohol that could bring sustainable livelihood to Boholanos stand to vanish away if the ongoing confusion about the real intent of the project is clarified and understood by all stakeholders. This is the development after a series of consultations were conducted by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to clarify the issues surrounding the project. The confusion stemmed from a misunderstanding as to what the project would be – a research on seaweeds for bio-ethanol production or seaweeds farming? The Memorandum of Understqnding (MOU) earlier signed by then Governor Erico B. Aumentado and Gyungsoo Kim of Biolsystem Co. Ltd of South Korea spoke of an area devoted for research purposes and area for seedling plantation and farming. The project is an offshoot of an agreement between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Government of South Korea for the production of bio-ethanol for bio-diesel. Then Gov. Aumentado was able to convince the Korean investors that Bohol is the ideal place for the research and production of seaweeds that produces the biofuel.

Now whether the research and production will be wholly done by the Korean investors are not clear yet up to the moment. What is clear however is that production of biofuel would require from 50,000 to 100,000 hectares of seaweeds plantation for it to be viable. The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) contended that the MOU did not have the sanction or authority of the SP as provided in Section 22(c) of the Local Government Code of 1991. Former provincial administrator, lawyer Handel Lagunay, though, explained that MOUs are not agreements but general terms that did not need the SP authority like the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). MOUs should ripen into a Memorandum of Agreement when specific details have been agreed by the parties. But we won't delve into the legalities of the documents that brought about the project in Bohol. What is important is that the project should benefit the Boholano seaweed farmers. I understand this is not the seaweed that our farmers plant like the Cottonai and Spinosom varities of eucheuma. But what the heck. If the project brings good life to our people why should we object?

The Koreans are the experts on the production of biofuel. They have the technology developed by the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology to process seaweeds into an energy source. Let them do that. Let them further their research here in Bohol. Let them have a few hectares to produce seedlings. But production should be given to Boholano farmers. If this is a partnership then let both South Korea through Biolsystems Co. Ltd. and the Boholanos benefit from the project. Environmentalists are howling in protest at the possible effect of the project to environment. At this point in time that is speculation. Let there be studies made first and if the results validate their concerns then we can look for avenues to address them. Let us not mix up speculations and scientific facts. Let those with the expertise tell us the facts. There is concern about the effect of the seaweed variety for biofuel to the variety now being planted by our farmers. I don't see how that can be valid unless the biofuel variety will eat the edible variety. All that is needed is to plant the biofuel variety in areas where there are no edible varieties. Fear that farmers will no longer plant the edible variety? Let the market forces address that. Those in the business of carageenan should make their business competitive. Why be adverse to the project? What is important is that or people will have new sources of livelihood.