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Philippine president hails energy-efficient electric rickshaws
Apr 13, 2011, 9:02 GMT
Manila - President Benigno Aquino III on Wednesday cited electric rickshaws as one of the long-term solutions to pollution and high cost of fuel plaguing the Philippines.
Aquino on Wednesday received 20 electric rickshaws donated by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for energy-efficient and pollution-free transport.
The vehicles would serve suburban Mandaluyong City, officials said. The Manila-based ADB hopes to scale up the production to supply the capital and other urban centres next year.
Aquino said they would improve the income of motorized rickshaw drivers around the country.
There are over 3.5 million motorized rickshaws running on fossil fuel nationwide, producing more than 10 million tons of carbon dioxide and using nearly 5 billion dollars worth of imported gasoline every year, the ADB said.
'Every 20,000 e-trikes that are introduced to Manila's streets will save the Philippines 100,000 litres of foreign fuel imports each day, saving the country about 35 million dollars annually,' ADB energy specialist Sohail Hasnie said.
The Philippines is also testing electronic passenger minibuses in the financial district of Makati City, as part of efforts to minimize pollution and cut the country's dependence on imported fuel.
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