Iconic jeepney modernization lauded
The electric jeepney industry is praising the government’s initiative to modernize the jeepney, which is set to undergo an upgrade in its road safety standards and fuel use efficiency.
The Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines, leaders in the e-jeepney movement, has announced its support for the government’s PUV Modernization Program of addressing issues of dilapidated road hazards and smoke-belching public utility vehicles plying Philippine roads, including the iconic jeepney.
Rommel Juan, president of EVAP, has expressed optimism for the electric vehicle industry.
“The Department of Transportation is finally on the verge of implementing this historic modernization program for public utility vehicles which aims to drastically improve the mass transport landscape and help reduce or eventually eliminate toxic air pollution on Philippine roads. This is because not only will the 15-year old jeepneys be upgraded to new ones but the power train will either have to be the environment-friendly Euro 4 engines or alternative-fuel type like electric and hybrid, LPG, LNG and CNG.”
Juan added that EVAP and the entire automotive industry are passionate about growing local industries, specifically on generating fresh investments, generating new jobs and providing business opportunities for MSMEs that comprise the bulk of automotive parts and components suppliers.
The PUV Modernization Program has an initial budget of P1 billion which will be made available through Landbank. The Landbank estimates that with its initial loan portfolio for this year, it can finance an estimated 650 to 700 units of new jeepneys.
Philippines’ first female-led brewery
CNN Travel has featured Palaweño Brewery, the first female-led brewery based in Palawan.
The CNN video feature and accompanying article published in May show how the first and only craft beer in Palawan started when Aya Javier realized craft beer can be a unique business in the Philippines.
Javier chose to set up the brewery in Palawan, known worldwide for being a top beach destination.
“When we are brewing beers, we want to emulate whatever Palawan is all about. We try to incorporate what is Palawan, like our honey here — we have three types of honey in Palawan. And what makes it a local beer is the water — so clean and pure.”
Palaweño Brewery offers five homegrown beer flavors that are handcrafted and manually prepared using local ingredients as well as from other corners of the world: Hunter (honey nut brown ale), Ayahay Ipa (India pale ale Happy beer), Palaw’an (honey Kolsch Tribal Beer), Palawan Wit (Belgian wheat beer), The Last Frontier’s first craft beer and Ambog Ale (American Amber Ale, and according to the company, “brewed with extra ego”).
Gotuaco is champ in US collegiate archery
Filipino archer Bianca Gotuaco won the gold at the US National Outdoor Collegiate Championships held at the Easton Archery Center of Excellence in Chula Vista, California.
She bagged her first collegiate National Title with the individual recurve gold, leading her archery team from Columbia University, New York, where she studies Applied Science and Mathematics.
Gotuaco, who represents the Philippines in archery, made her international debut in 2009.
She finished 15th overall in the recurve at the National Indoor Championships with a score of 1,067. She also finished in the top-10 in the recurve at the AAE Arizona Cup with 580 points.
Previously, Gotuaco was on the Philippine Team in world archery events and won top awards. She earlier took the silver in recurve in the Eastern Regional Outdoor Collegiate Championships in Virginia.