SEVERAL public transport groups yesterday said they support the adoption of three homegrown inventions that aim to promote fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.
In a demonstration conducted at the Land Transportation Office in Quezon City, the Filipino-made lubricant and two engine add-ons were all plugged into a jeepney to see if they could help the vehicle pass the LTO’s smoke emission test.
Transport officials, led by Secretary Jaime Bautista, were present during the demonstration, as well as leaders of the country’s top transport groups.
The local inventions include Ricky Punzalan’s Wonderlube, a lubricant that claims to extend the interval between oil changes; Patricio Cabauatan’s Nuvitron which promises 30 percent in fuel savings; and Jun De Jesus’ Highmax reactor which he said converts dirty air into electricity to power an engine.
Based on the LTO’s final reading during the demo, the jeepney’s emission score went down from 4.52 to 1.71 — even going below the agency’s 2.5 minimum requirement, with the help of the products.
Bautista welcomed the products as potential solutions to rising oil prices. But he said more studies should be done before these can be supported by the government, especially in terms of production and distribution.
“‘Yan ang kailangang pag-aralan nating mabuti. Kailangan nating kumuha ng budget sa ating national government kaya kailangan pakita muna natin na talagang magiging maganda ‘yung resulta nito para sa ating mga drivers and operators. Kaya nga nagkaroon tayo ng testing,” said Bautista.
If proven effective, Bautista said an information campaign should be conducted to promote the products.
LTO chief Vigor Mendoza meanwhile said the products come at the right time as they plan to start strictly implementing motor vehicle inspections soon prior to registration.
But beyond vehicle registration, jeepney drivers hope that by acquiring these fuel-saving tools, they will no longer be subjected to the government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program.
“Wiling po kaming gumamit nyang sinasabi nilang Wonderlube o kung anumang nilalagay sa makina para mabawasan yung usok ng makina, makatipid sa krudo basta may guarantee sila sa amin na hangga’t tumatakbo ang makina namin, hindi kailangang palitan ng Euro 4. Willing kaming bilhin kaysa bumili kami ng P2.5-P2.7 million na bagong euro 4” said PUV driver Bobby Diloy.
“Para sa akin, okay yan. Kung yan ay ipapairal ng gobyerno, isantabi muna ang modernization,” echoed another jeepney driver, Richard Agpawa.
But Mendoza said it’s much more complicated than that.
“Ang PUJ modernization, maraming components yan. Sa LTO, ang aming component na binabantayan ay smoke emission tsaka roadworthiness. At least kahit na yung sasakyan nila ay medyo may edad na, with the use of these products, ay malaking bagay na siguradong papasa sila (for vehicle registration),” he said.
The inventors hope a successful testing will also lead to more government support. Right now, buying all three products costs nearly P24,000 in total.
“For mass production, if let’s say, andyan ang suporta ng gobyerno, napakaganda at mas madaling ma-avail ng mga tsuper,” said Cabauatan.
“Ito yung hamon natin sa ating mga leaders. Sana ito i-patronize kasi malaking tulong nito,” added Punzalan. (ABS-CBN News)
