Marcos: Transport modernization to fight climate change

 INQUIRER COMPOSITE IMAGE: DANIELLA MARIE AGACER FROM AFP AND INQUIRER.NET FILE PHOTOS

HONOLULU—Despite its traditional look, the iconic Filipino jeepney is “being heavily modernized” as part of the country’s efforts to lessen its carbon footprint and to help mitigate the impact of climate change, according to President Marcos.

Speaking at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies here on Monday, the President also highlighted the Filipino jeepney before discussing regional security issues before an audience of experts and US officials.

The program moderator noticed the “little artifacts” on the table beside the President before he took questions from the audience.

“These are jeepneys. If you don’t know what a jeepney is, these are the jeeps that were left behind by the Americans after the war (World War II), which were converted into transport systems,” Mr. Marcos said.

He said these comprised “a very large percentage of our transportation system.”

“And the reason that we are highlighting them is because we are in the midst of an effort to go fully electric when it comes to public transport,” he added.

The President said “This is our continuing effort as a response, of course, to climate change—to improve the mix of energy consumption and supply from the traditional fossil fuel to more renewable.”

“And that is why we put them out here to remind all that despite their very traditional look, [the jeepneys] are being heavily modernized,” Mr. Marcos said.

He presented his plan for the traditional Filipino jeepney as drivers and operators in Metro Manila and other provinces held protests ahead of the Dec. 31 deadline for the consolidation of franchises under the government’s public utility vehicle modernization program. INQ