WHEREAS, Executive Order (E.O.) No. 66, series of 2002 entitled "Designating the Department of Energy (DOE) as the Lead Agency in Developing the Philippine Natural Gas Industry", mandates the DOE to ensure a unified and coordinated effort towards establishing a successful and robust natural gas industry;

Pursuant to Executive Order No. 66 and consistent with the Department’s thrust of empowering and balancing the various interest of the energy related policies particularly in the emerging Natural Gas Vehicles (NGV) Industry and in order to accelerate, integrate and coordinate various efforts towards the demonstration of the NGV technology, implementation of an effective Information, Education and Communication program and development of the necessary safety practices relative to the operation of NGVs, the following directive is hereby issued:

WHEREAS, Department Circular No. 2003-06-007 (Further Amending Section 14 of Department Circular No. 99-03-004 Entitled "Rules and Regulations Implementing Republic Act 8479, Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Act of 1998," as Amended) and the Memorandum of Agreement entered into on January 23, 2003 by and among the Department of Energy (DOE), the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and the Development Bank of the Philippines - Trust Services (DBP-TS), operationalized the Gasoline Station Lending and Financial Assistance Program (herein referred to as the Program);

WHEREAS, Republic Act No. 7638, "An Act Creating the Department of Energy (DOE)", tasks the DOE to formulate rules and regulations as may be necessary to guide the operators of both government and private entities involved in energy resource supply and distribution;

WHEREAS, Republic Act No. (R.A.) 8479, otherwise known as the "Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Act of 1998", applies to all persons or entities engaged in any and all activities of the domestic downstream oil industry and mandates the Department of Energy (DOE) to promote the entry of new industry participants;