Miriam pushes phase-out of pre-2008 manufactured vehicles

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago has filled a bill calling for a phase-out of old and fuel inefficient vehicles through the issuance of cash vouchers for the trade in of these vehicles in the next five years.

Senate Bill 2834 stipulates that the vouchers be used as partial payment for the purchase of a new or used fuel-efficient vehicle.                                                                         

“A voucher issued under the program may be applied to offset the purchase price of new fuel efficient automobile, a used fuel efficient automobile or a highly fuel efficient automobile,” Santiago said.

The value of the vouchers shall be determined according to the rules and regulations prescribed by the secretary of energy.                                                                                     

Targeted by the bill for phase out are vehicles manufactured before 2008 “for which the originally certified measured fuel economy level is less than 18 miles per gallon.”              

Fuel-efficient vehicles, on the other hand, refer to any automobile manufactured after 2003 that qualified as fuel efficient in accordance with the rules and regulations promulgated by the secretary of energy.                              

“High fuel consumption automobiles take a considerable toll on the country’s fuel supply and cause damage to the environment through greenhouse gas and other noxious gas emissions which are higher than green, fuel efficient automobiles,” Santiago said.

The vouchers could also be used by the holder as transit fare credits, where the operators of bus and rail public transit systems would offset the purchase price of annual transit passes or any form of individual transit fare credit designated by the operator.                                                                     

Santiago said that for 500,000 to one million vouchers issued per year, it is estimated that the country can save between 40,000 to 80,000 barrels of motor fuel per day, reduce greenhouse gas emissions between 6.6 metric tons to 7.6 metric tons or the equivalent of removing 1.1 million to 2.2 million vehicles from the road in one year and reduce noxious gas emissions by 3,043 short tons in five years.      

All fuel-inefficient vehicles traded in to an automobile dealer, dismantler or scrap recycling facility should be crushed and shredded; processed prior to crushing and shredding to ensure the removal and disposition of refrigerants, antifreeze, lead products, mercury switches and other toxic components.                                                             

These should not be sold, leased, exchanged or otherwise disposed of for use as an automobile in the Philippines or anywhere else.