DOE 7 launches Nationwide Contest for Best E-Trike Design in Cebu
By Fayette C. Riñen
‘contest to choose top 10 winning entries on Feb. 24’
CEBU CITY, February 1 (PIA) – Top ten winning entries may be adopted for use in the wider implementation of the E-Trike Project of the Department of Energy (DOE) this year as the DOE 7 launched today the ‘Nationwide Contest for the Best E-Trike Design’ in Cebu.
DOE 7 Regional Director Engr. Antonio Labios said the contest solicits the best ideas from Filipinos on the most adaptable and practical electrical tricycle (e-trike) design for metro and rural areas throughout the country.
Objectives of the contest are to generate 2D and 3D computer-aided drawings of the best aesthetic and functional design for the future Philippine E-trike look and to showcase the modern tricycle innovation.
Labios said the E-Trike Project is part and parcel of the bigger vision of reducing the country’s dependence on imported petroleum products.
Criteria for judging are 50 percent for aesthetics and creativity, 20 percent for originality and another 20 percent for safety and functionality while the remaining 10 percent goes to the ergonomics or the easy access of passengers and total passenger comfort.
The top three winners will bring home a cash prize of P200,000 each and the remaining 4th to 10th placers will each receive P50,000 monetary reward.
Labios said the basic design parameters should be an e-trike that has a maximum seat of six passengers excluding the driver and must be a three-wheeled vehicle.
All design entries must be original, new and have not been used for commercial or demonstration purposes, this is stressed.
The contest is open to all Filipino citizens 18 years old and above or any group for that matter and limited to only one entry per individual or group.
Those interested to join the contest may download the registration form at the DOE website www.doe.gov.ph or the PIA website at www.pia.gov.ph.
Applicants must produce the 2D and 3D CAD drawings of the E-trike design using AutoCAD software with corresponding design description. They must submit their entry in both CD and hard copy (A3 size) and enclose in a sealed envelope.
Design entry together with the official registration form and duly-notarized Oath of Ownership of the submitted design must be submitted personally or by mail to the following address: Nationwide E-trike Design Contest, c/o Energy Utilization Management Bureau, Department of Energy, Merritt Road, For Bonifacio, Taguig City 1631.
Deadline for submission is not later than 4:00 p.m. on February 17, 2012 while the final judging will be done on February 24. (PIA-Cebu)
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4 towns in Cebu to replicate San Fran’s purok system
on disaster risk reduction, sustainable development
By Hazel Gloria
CEBU CITY, February 1 (PIA) --- Local chief executives of four Cebu towns are set to replicate the purok system of San Francisco, Camotes Island, Cebu that credited various awards from both local and foreign institutions for disaster risk reduction and sustainable development.
These municipalities are Alcoy, Alegria, Tuburan and Catmon.
This developed after the municipal mayors of the four said towns underwent a two-day learning visit to San Francisco sponsored by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) and the local government unit of San Francisco.
The respective mayors namely Nicomedes delos Santos of Alcoy, Emelita Guisadio of Alegria, Democrito Diamante of Tuburan, and Dan Jusay of Catmon visited San Francisco last January 11 and 12 to observe and learn first-hand about the town’s highly-awarded purok system.
Delos Santos lauded San Francisco’s implementation of the purok system in effectively empowering the community residents without resorting to the giving of dole-outs.
“It goes to prove that money is not everything in effective governance,” De los Santos said.
Puroks are small units within the barangay established to help in the implementation of development programs.
Jusa also saw the relevance, necessity, and effectiveness of the purok system and is now determined to form a functional purok system in his municipality.
Guisadio on the other hand, vowed to replicate San Francisco's purok system in her town and challenged her staff who accompanied her to be up to the job.
San Francisco's purok system was cited as a model for sustainable development and climate change adaptation.
Last year, San Francisco won the United Nations' 2011 Sasakawa Award for Disaster Risk Reduction.
The town also ranked first for three straight consecutive years in the ‘Our Cebu Program’, a joint development project of RAFI and the Cebu Provincial government to make Cebu a liveable place.
San Francisco Vice Mayor Al Arquillano welcomed the municipal officials during the two-day visit and gave the overview on the purok system that was first implemented during his term as mayor from 2001-2010.
He shared how the puroks grew from just initially just a handful of willing volunteers to 120 dynamic puroks, all active in implementing development programs in their respective communities.
From cleanliness and greening projects to heritage mapping and disaster risk reduction measures, the purok members have been empowered to help improve the community and lessen the dependence on the local government unit whose resources, according to Arquillano, would never be enough.
“The two-day learning visit was part of the Purok Replication Program meant to capacitate LGUs to institute within its governance system and structure the organization of the different puroks to participate in local development,” Rowena Bandola-Alinsonorin, RAFI executive director for Integrated Development, said.
“The purok system will be an enabling mechanism that will move various development interventions at the community level,” Alinsonorin stressed.. (FCR/HFG/PIA-7 and RAFI)