Philippines E-Jeepney Struggling for Support Slug: Philippines e-jeepney Reporter: Madonna T. Virola Date: 10-21-2013 !

TR" #eepneys are an i$oni$ %or& o% pu'li$ transport in the Philippines. (ut their diesel engines are hea)y polluters. The *sia De)elop&ent (an+ esti&ates that ,-000 people die %ro& air pollution-related illnesses e)ery year in the $ountry. (ut no. $o&&uters in Manila ha)e the option o% using en)iron&entally-%riendly ele$tri$ jeepneys. (ut as Madonna Virola reports- the road to a transport re)olution has a long .ay to go. T/0T S10 1: noise o% regular jeepneys plying the street o% Ma+ati 2ity t3s early in the e)ening in the 'usiness distri$t o% Ma+ati. Many $o&&uters are returning ho&e 'y ele$tri$ jeepney. 45-year-old Teresa 2enteno used to .or+ as a guard in a .arehouse. She3s happy .ith her ne. jo' as an e-jeepney dri)er. Teresa 2lip 1 61e&ale- Tagalog7:8This is &u$h di%%erent %ro& the original jeepney. nstead o% using gasoline- .e use 'atteries and $harge the&. 9e don3t e&it s&o+e so .e help the en)iron&ent.8 The ele$tri$ jeepney .as laun$hed 5 years ago 'y a non-pro%it group- the nstitute %or 2li&ate and Sustaina'le 2ities. They are no. do&esti$ally &anu%a$tured- and along .ith .idespread ele$tri$ )ehi$le $harging stations- there is also an e-)ehi$le 'attery s.apping progra&. The nstitute3s progra& $oordinator Reina :ar$ia says the e-jeepney loo+s li+e the original )ersion 'ut is &ore en)iron&entally-%riendly. Reina 2lip 1 61e&ale- /nglish7: 8There3s no engine- so it runs on an ele$tri$ &otor and $ontroller and 'atteries. ;ou $harge the ele$tri$ jeepney li+e a $ell phone 'e$ause it $o&es .ith a $harger %or an o)ernight- or < hours. t $an $ontri'ute to lo$ally $lean air and glo'ally to redu$e $ar'on e&issions .hi$h $ontri'utes to $li&ate $hange.8 There are $urrently ,0-000 diesel-'ased jeepneys in the $apital 'ut only 30 ele$tri$ ones operating in li&ited distri$ts.

Many jeepney dri)ers are relu$tant to gi)e up their old )ehi$les. t $osts 1-,00 =S dollars to 'uy a 'rand ne. ele$tri$ jeepney. 50-year-old Ra%ael 2arlos has 'een dri)ing his old jeepney %or 40 years no.. Ra%ael 2lip 6Male- Tagalog7: >That3s e?pensi)e. 9hat a'out the poor li+e &e@ The 'atteries don3t li)e long and the e-jeepney is not as %ast and strong as the diesel one.8 The $ountry3s 2li&ate 2hange 2o&&ission $lai&s that diesel jeepneys- 'uses and tru$+s are responsi'le %or A0 per$ent o% e&issions in ur'an areas. *nd air pollution $osts the e$ono&y 1., 'illion =S dollars ea$h year. (ut e-jeepney supporters are still struggling to get 'a$+ing %ro& the go)ern&ent. Reina :ar$ia %ro& the nstitute %or 2li&ate and Sustaina'le 2ities says they3re no. e?pe$ting a ne. 'ill .hi$h .ill gi)e legal support to the e-re)olution. Reina 2lip 2 61e&ale- /nglish7: 8That 'ill is &eant to gi)e in$enti)es to a )ariety o% players in the industry so ele$tri$ )ehi$les $ould propagate... ta? in$enti)es to i&porters- asse&'lers&anu%a$turers and users o% ele$tri$ )ehi$les. 9e3re .aiting i% it .ill go through the sa&e pro$ess and .hat is the rea$tion and general enthusias& o% the go)ern&ent to help that 'ill passed.> S10 2: /jeepney $o&&uter !o)a 'eing inter)ie.ed 2o&&uters in Ma+ati distri$t- li+e !o)a- are no. using e-jeepneys e)ery day. !o)a 2lip 61e&ale- /nglish and Tagalog7BB8it3s e%%i$ient- en)iron&ent-%riendly8BB Dri)er Teresa 2enteno says e)eryone should gi)e e-jeepneys a try. Teresa 2lip 2 61e&ale- Tagalog7: 8Those .ho ha)e not tried the&- should e?perien$e the& %or the&sel)es- .hat the $o&&uters are saying... t3s a Cuiet ride. /)en $hildren say it3s a s&ooth dri)e. So&e are ta+ing the e-jeepney just %or %un.8 1or *sia 2alling- this is Madonna Virola reporting.