The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is working on a roadmap on the transition of public utility vehicles (PUVs) to electric-powered vehicles as part of initiatives to adopt green, sustainable energy transport solutions.
“ If our road public transport goes electric, we are on our way to sustainable green transport,” Jesus Ferdinand Ortega, DOTr undersecretary for road transport and infrastructure, said at Mober’s Conference on Sustainable Logistics on World Electric Vehicle Day last Monday.
To encourage the use of electric vehicles (EVs) as PUVs, the DOTr is studying the possibility of giving incentives to transport cooperatives and associations if they shift to EVs.
Ortega cited, among others, Executive Order No. 12 as an enabling law that supports the transition to emerging technologies, reduce the transport system’s reliance on fossil fuels, and reduce gas emissions attributed to road transport.
The DOTr is also advancing zero carbon emission and mobility as well as alternative-fuel vehicles as part of the government’s commitment to climate response and gradual shift to renewable energy.
The transport agency has been pushing for key projects to fulfill government adherence to the Paris Agreement.
These projects, according to Ortega, include the Public Transport Modernization Program, Active Transport Program, and partnerships with local government units for promotion of low carbon urban transport systems in the Philippines.
“This harmonization of transport projects is crucial for shaping a more sustainable future and creating greener cities that are safe, commuter/pedestrian-friendly, and accessible for all,” Ortega said.
Other climate resiliency and climate mitigation efforts include electric trains, sustainable aviation fuel , crew training on the use of methanol for sea vessels, solar panels for airport terminals, and hybrid ferry boats along Pasig River.
The DOTr also supports the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act or EVIDA Law, which aims to promote the use of EVs and solve the problem of dependency on fuel and its increasing prices.
