Meralco, WWF-Phils tie up for electric-powered mass transit

MANILA, Philippines - In line with its environmental conservation and preservation advocacies, power distributor Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) has partnered with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Philippines) for the development and promotion of a new, sustainable all-electric mass transportation system. 

This joint project for cleaner air will initially focus on improving the design of existing electric jeepneys to efficiently run on electricity.

The project also aims to encourage other corporate entities to advocate for sustainable environmental causes and campaigns to address global warming.

Meralco has been advocating this endeavor as it continues to look at the proposed electric-run mass transport system for the country.

The Department of Energy (DOE) earlier said they have coordinated with the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) for a conduct of a study on the mass transport system to be run using electricity apart from the existing metro rail transit system.

The DOE said the mass transit system on the road will be powered by electricity.

The government had drawn up a comprehensive clean energy investment plan which will specifically list down priority projects and sites for clean energy projects. 

The plan will also be in line with the overall thrust of the Philippine government to address global climate change.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) in its regional review of the impact of climate change on the Southeast Asian economy, warned that Philippines is likely to face more extreme weather events unless global warming is controlled.

“Climate change seriously threatens Philippine economic development, the worst is yet to come,” ADB assistant chief economist Juzhong Zhuang warned.

Based on the study, there are win-win mitigation options in the energy sector–particularly more efficient power plants, more energy-efficient lighting, appliance and industrial equipment, and cleaner transportation – that could allow the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations to mitigate carbon emissions up to 40 percent by 2020 at a negative net cost.