VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA — Cummins Westport is leveraging its alliances with several Chinese bus manufacturers to supply CNG (Clean Natural Gas) buses to Manila, and this delivery marks its first commercial presence in the Philippine market.
Cummins Westport Inc. has reported the July 1 launch by the Philippine Department of Energy (DOE) of the country’s first clean air public buses that will operate in Metro Manila. The buses are powered by Cummins Westport low-emissions natural gas engines.
Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and DOE Secretary Raphael P. M. Lotilla, joined by Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines Peter Sutherland and Chinese Ambassador Wu Hongbo, were the first passengers of the CNG bus at the launch ceremony and test run at the presidential palace in Manila.
DOE Director Teresita Borra, Chevron Texaco Philippines President Hank Tomlinson, and Philippine National Oil Corporation (PNOC) President Eduardo V. Manalac were also present during the launch. Chevron Texaco and PNOC are part of the Malampaya gas field consortium, which will supply the natural gas to fuel the buses at subsidized prices.
President Arroyo has actively promoted the use of natural gas in public transportation since early 2004 and recently unveiled her Natural Gas Vehicle Program for Public Transport (NGVPPT). Last September in Beijing, she witnessed the signing of supply agreements between Cummins Westport and Philippines bus operators.
“We need to reduce our country’s dependence on imported oil and our vulnerability to spiking world oil prices. We are committed to fast tracking the implementation of the NGVPPT with the continued roll-out of more CNG buses,” said Secretary Lotilla.
Lotilla expressed optimism that the full deployment of over 100 CNG-fuelled buses will be completed soon. The government has just announced that it plans to have 2,000 CNG buses driving major Metro Manila routes by 2010.
Guan Saw, president of Cummins Westport, said, “Cummins Westport is committed to supporting the Philippines in improving the air quality in its cities with our highly-reliable engines, which are proven performers worldwide. Our collaboration with the local Cummins distributor will provide Metro Manila with after sales support and service for the CWI engines.”
Ching Gettman, general manager of Cummins Westport Asia, added, “Cummins Westport and Chinese bus manufacturers have been working together for several years to provide dedicated CNG buses to cities in China and also for export to Manila, Mexico City, Pakistan and other countries. This allows us to offer new markets like the Philippines help in achieving their goals for energy security with economic solutions that include the bonus of environmental benefits.”
_______________________________________
Click here to view the rest of today’s headlines.
