DOTr - PPA Moves Toward the Use of Renewable Energy in its Ports Nationwide

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Department of Transportation (DOTr), through the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), is pursuing the use of renewable energy in all its controlled ports nationwide in a bid to reduce the carbon footprints from ports and to to be at par with international maritime stakeholders.

The “Green Port” project is in accordance with the 25-year port development roadmap adopted by Philippine port stakeholders in a summit held in April this year.

This is also a commitment of the PPA to the Ambisyon Natin 2040 program adopted by the current administration.

“Our international shipping counterparts have already agreed to reduce carbon emissions by a certain percentage in the next decade or so and it is only fitting to do the same in our ports,” says PPA Assistant General Manager for Operations Hector E. Miole.

“The initial outlay might be overwhelming, but its long-term effect to the financial aspect and environmental conservation outweighs all of that,” he added.

For a start, the PPA will replace all its existing fluorescent, incandescent lamps, and bulbs with LED (Light Emitting Diodes) lights in its Corporate Office Building by the middle of this month.

PPA is likewise making an inventory of all streetlights from the South Harbor Expanded Port Zone, the access roads going to its VTMS control tower, as well as the PPA offices at the South Harbor and the North Harbor.

The agency is looking at forging a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Philippine National Oil Company-Renewable Corporation (PNOC-RC) in enforcing this notable project.

Under the proposed MOA, PNOC-RC will provide technical expertise, review and design for the best kind of renewable energy sources, which will be used by the PPA in bidding out the said project. The result of the review is expected to be operational in 6 months upon signing of the MOA. The PPA, for its part, will determine the initial ports that will undergo the same ‘greening’ project.

Initially, the PNOC-RC is offering a guaranteed 100-kilowatt solar panel to be installed at the PPA Head Office, which is enough to cover at least a third of the agency’s lighting requirements. The facility, however, will still be connected to the current electric grid system to source out the remaining power requirement of the office.

Aside from the ‘Greening project’, the 25-year Development Roadmap also includes plans for cruise shipping, industrial ports/zoning management, long-term infrastructure development, inter-connectivity, and supply chain development.

Own the Racetrack: Suzuki GSX-R1000R Invitational Test Ride

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The King of Sportbikes is about to reach the Philippine shores and Wheeltek Motor Sales Corporation together with Suzuki Philippines Inc. are making sure that the preparation is set for the royal arrival by gathering two of the country’s most esteemed sportbike riders to put the most awesome GSX-R ever produced to test.

Fresh from testing with Team Suzuki Ecstar, the two GSX-R1000R units were flown from Australia for its debut appearance in the Philippines at the 11th IR Bike Fest and Trade Show. Following this, the country became the first ASEAN nation to test ride the unit. One of the two GSX-R1000Rs was ridden by Philippine Superbikes Champions Miguel Bichara and Anthony Roman at Clark International Speedway (CIS) wherein they would prove that this machine has got what it takes to own the racetrack.

Miguel Bichara is a renowned Superbikes Champion in the Philippines. In 2008, he won the Philippine Superbikes Championship title for Masters Class category with his GSX-R1000 (2006 model). Bichara is considered as an elite superbike rider who races in the country and abroad. He is also a certified motorcycle instructor.  Anthony Roman also known as the Roman Emperor, on the other hand is a well-known underbone racer in the country before shifting to Superbikes. He is a pioneer in the MotoIR category of the Inside Racing Grand Prix. In 2012, Roman won the Philippine Superbike Championships title for the Novice category. He was raced alongside the legend Maico Buncio.

The event ran on individual testing and had it in two parts for the riders – the calibrating lap and the race lap which were all supervised by Team Suzuki Philippines and Wheeltek’s Service Group. Bichara rode the bike first followed by Roman. Superbike riders in the Philippine media were also able to test the unit namely – Maynard Marcelo for C! magazine, Joey Rivero of Driven2Ride and Lifestyle on Wheels TV, John Defensor of Inside Racing and Torque magazines and Aris Ilagan of TopGear Philippines. A press interview was also hosted during lunch to discuss about the performance of the bike.

Energy Efficient ASEAN

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Department of Energy (DOE) hosted the 21st Annual Meeting of the ASEAN Energy Efficiency and Conservation Sub-Sector Network (EEN&C-SSN) and Associated Meetings at Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila on 2-5 May 2017. With Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi (center) are (L-R) Ms. Rabiah Al Adawiyah T. Hussein (ASEAN Secretariat); Ms. Maria-Jose Poddey, ASEAN-German Energy Programme (GIZ); Mr. Amphilin Sengsoulin, Mr. Xaysavanh Latthachak (Lao PDR); Mr. Hamizan Bin Husain (Malaysia); Undersecretary Jesus Cristino P. Posadas (DOE); Dr. Sanjayan Velautham, Executive Director (ACE); Mr. Sarat Prakobchat, EE&C-SSN Coordinator (Thailand); Ms. Aye Kay Khaing Soe (Myanmar); Director Patrick T. Aquino (DOE); Mr. Watcharin Boonyarit (Thailand); Dr. Francisca Indarsiani, Cowater International (Canada); Ms. Kathleen Lim Dematera, Clean Air Asia (GIZ). Not in picture: Ms. Emily McQualter (UNEP); Mr. Takashi Kanazawa and Mr. Yoshitaka Ushio (Energy Conservation Centre, Japan).