The Department of Energy (DOE) on Thursday, May 23, officialy turned over 40 units of electric tricycles (E-Trikes) to the town of Odiongan in Romblon Province under an Asian Development Bank-funded project called Market Transformation through Introduction of Energy Efficient Electric Vehicles Project.
The turnover ceremony was lead by Mr. Fernando Jose Hainto, from DOE’s Inspection and Property Transfer, representing DOE Secretary Alfonso Cusi.
“This is a testament of the DOE which is to be part of a greater endevour and initiative by the Government. The Department of Energy envisions a better life to its Filipino people on bringing a green, Eco-friendly, and viable mode of transportation on the tricycle sector,” Hainto said during the turnover ceremony.
“Talagang napakahirap, maraming dinaanan ang LGU, pabalik-balik ang LGU sa documentation para matapos lang ang lahat…pero nakikita na po ninyo ang paghihirap ng lahat,” Hainto said in Tagalog.
The Department of Energy (DOE) said the electronic tricycle project aims to avoid CO2 emission of about 259,008 tons annually by shifting to 100,000 e-trike units.
Meanwhile, during her speech, Odiongan Mayor Trina Firmalo-Fabic thanked the Energy Department for selecting the town as one of the beneficiaries of the said project.
She also urged the members of the Tricycle Operators and Drivers’ Association (TODA) in Odiongan who will be the recipient of the E-Trikes to give the units a very good care so it will last a long time.
After the short turnover ceremony, Hainto, Mayor Fabic, and other gov’t officials and employees goes around town riding riding the e-tricycles to show the town it’s feature.
The E-trike project is an offshoot of the ADB and the DOE pilot study of 20 locally assembled e-trikes powered by improved lithium-ion batteries in the City of Mandaluyong.
Earlier this year, the DOE also donates 50 units of E-Trike to the town of Brooke’s Point in Palawan, the first in MIMAROPA Region to be the recipient of the project.
