RP now has 5.5 million motor vehicles

MANILA, Philippines - There are now 5.53 million motor vehicles operating in the country and the number is expected to grow by 4.6 percent in the coming years, according to an expert from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Josephine Mangila-Tioseco of the USAID-Energy and Clean Air Project (ECAP) said the projection is based on the average growth recorded from 2005 to 2007.

Tricycles and motorcycles constitute about half of the country’s registered vehicles, said Tioseco, a USAID-ECAP development and communication specialist.

Tioseco attended a workshop held recently at the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture organized for mediamen in Los Baños, Laguna.

In her report on biofuels as an alternative energy option, Tioseco recorded that 73 percent of motor vehicles use gasoline while 27 are diesel-fed.

The vehicles are concentrated in Metro Manila, followed by Central Luzon, Central Visayas, and Region 4-A (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon).

“Potentially, this entire fleet is the market for both bioethanol and biodiesel use,” Tioseco said.

Ethanol is a clean-burning, high-octane alcohol produced from crops such as corn and sugarcane, while bioethanol is the blending of ethanol and gasoline.

Interest in biofuels or alternative fuel intensified following the enactment of Republic Act 9367 or the Biofuels Act of 2006. RA 9367 aims to develop and use indigenous renewable, sustainable, and clean energy without any detriment to the country’s natural ecosystem, biodiversity, and food reserves.

The law mandates use of a minimum of one percent blend within three months and a minimum of two percent blend within two years (May 2009). For bioethanol, at least five percent blend should be achieved by May 2009 and a 10-percent blend by May 2011.

Tioseco said the alternative fuels program is one of the five key components of the government’s energy independence agenda.

She said the current biodiesel production capacity is 302.60 million liters, with 10 biodiesel producers already accredited. Estimated fuel displacement of mandatory one percent biodiesel blend is 60 million liters based on 2006 actual diesel consumption.

There are now 174 gas stations voluntarily selling 10 percent ethanol blend (105 Seaoil stations nationwide, and 55 Shell stations and 14 Petron stations in Metro Manila).

Five ethanol production plants projects have been endorsed and registered under the Board of Investment.

LTO identifies road danger zones

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) identified 300 so-called “black spots” or accident-prone areas where accidents often occur, where the agency started road safety measures to prevent more mishaps.

LTO chief Arturo Lomibao, told reporters during the news forum Daungan ng Balita sa Danarra Hotel in Quezon City that the black spots along national highways where major road accidents often occurred have been pinpointed after a series of studies conducted by the agency.

“We are now implementing measures to promote road safety awareness among drivers all over the country,” he said.

Lomibao said the LTO would soon release a list of the accident-prone areas and install signs to warn drivers before they pass through the black spots.

Part of the program is the production of the Filipino drivers manual, which provides the necessary information regarding traffic laws and regulations on the road.

The manual also provides measures to prevent carjacking, defensive driving methods, and fines and penalties of traffic violations.

The manual also has information on the various ways carjackers dispose of stolen vehicles. – Rudy Fernandez, Perseus Echeminada