ILOILO CITY, Philippines — The total phaseout of gasoline-powered tricycles on Boracay Island has been suspended until the power supply there normalizes.
Acting Mayor Frolibar Bautista of Malay town in Aklan, which includes the three villages of the island-resort, said the implementation of the phaseout would resume as soon as the whole island could get an adequate power supply.
Last Christmas Eve, strong winds brought by Typhoon Ursula, internationally known as Phanfone, knocked down more than 1,000 electric posts and electrical distribution structures in Aklan and some northern towns of Antique.
The phaseout of more than 400 tricycles, the main form of public transportation on the 1,032-hectare island, was supposed to be completed by Dec. 31, 2019.
Gasoline-powered tricycles will be replaced by electric tricycles as one of the long-term environmental measures.
A Department of Environment and Natural Resources study has identified tricycles as the main cause of air and noise pollution on the island.
According to Bautista, only parts of Malay have electricity while the 13 other villages on the mainland have been experiencing blackouts since Dec. 25.
Electricity has also been partially restored in Boracay.
He said electric tricycles could not yet go on full operation due to the prolonged brownout in parts of the island.
Several residents have earlier complained of limited transportation due to the non-operation of existing electric tricycles.
Bautista said around 800 electric tricycles would be operating on the island when the phaseout of gasoline-powered units had been completed.
The electric tricycles are preferred by many tourists because these are quieter and spacious.
Several operators of tricycles have appealed against the total phaseout, saying electric tricycles are not economically viable as a source of livelihood due to their higher capitalization cost.
An electric tricycle costs around P450,000 — almost double if procured through an installment plan.
The operators have been asking for more time and for financial assistance to shift to electric tricycles.
Bautista said a South Korean-owned transport firm is offering financial assistance for tricycle franchise-holders.
The tricycle operators have also insisted that existing tricycles use four-stroke engines, which emit less pollution compared to ones with two-stroke engines.
/atm