Locally-made motorcycles all eco-friendly

The Motorcycle Development Program Participants Association Inc. (MDPPA) has assured the general public that its member-companies are complaint with government’s emission standards, debunking claims that motorcycles are major pollutants in the country.

The MDPPA is an association of legitimate motorcycle manufacturers composed of Honda Philippines, Inc., Kawasaki Motor (Phils.) Corp., Norkis Trading Co., Inc. (Yamaha), Porta Coeli Industrial Company, S.C. Kymco Pilipinas, Inc., and Suzuki Philippines, Inc.

MDPPA chairman Mateo Ocenar said claims that motorcycles emit more unburned gases are nothing but pure myth. "The motorcycle, whether it is two-stroke or four-stroke, runs at an average of 40 to 60 kilometers per liter while tricycles, with their passenger loads, run at an average of 25 kilometers per liter. But even at this fuel consumption rate per kilometer, the motorcycle is still three times more economical in fuel consumption compared to cars, jeepneys and buses," Ocenar said.

Based on the 2001 Land Transportation Office (LTO) figure on vehicle population in the National Capital Region, four-wheeled vehicles total 1,022,035 compared to 52,300 motorcycles. Because of traffic congestion, four-wheelers tend to emit more emission pollutants per kilometer versus motorcycles that can get out of traffic easily thereby lessening their emission.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is now in the process of reviewing the applications for Certificate of Conformity (COC) of all MDPPA-member companies in compliance with the new emission standard to be implemented next year. The COC will be a requirement before a new motorcycle will be registered by the LTO.

The MDPPA has taken the initiative in inviting the DENR in establishing a separate Implementing Rules & Regulations for motorcycles based on RA 8749 or the Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999 because a new emission standard will be implemented starting January 2003.

"We are doing this, because there are no separate implementing rules in the Clean Air Act that is exclusive for motorcycles. The implementing rules for four-wheels cannot be applied to two-wheeled vehicles," Ocenar said.

In other developments, Ocenar said the MDPPA has done more than its share in the Board of Investments Motor Vehicle Development Programs in terms of employment generation, technology transfer and localization of the manufacturing of components for export. To date, MDPPA member-companies employ 3,000 highly educated and skillful Filipino workers who help in producing high-quality Japanese motorcycles used by over 3 million Filipinos nationwide. Add to this figure the number of spare parts dealers and repair service providers who also number by the thousands.

"The motorcycles we manufacture here are also being exported to other countries. They are world-class. That’s why our members’ motorcycles here are also considered at par with their counterparts abroad. It has now become an invaluable contributor to the country’s economic development," Ocenar said.