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Biofuel Isuzu
No necessary evil
We take biofuel-compatible Isuzu Alterras around the Philippines and realize our beautiful country is worth saving
Words by Paulo Subido; Photography by Angelo Perez
Perhaps you could say that my youngest brother and I used up a lot of fuel when we were growing up. As hyperactive kids who refused to observe proper bedtimes, it was always a challenge for our parents to get us to sleep. Fortunately, they discovered a sure-fire recourse to calm us down on restless evenings: long, leisurely drives. We were bundled up in our warmest parkas and tucked snugly in between soft, oversized pillows, while my dad steered his car uphill and downhill through our mountain city’s meandering roads. Soon enough, my brother and I would both be lulled to sleep.
Driving with our father to no destination in particular became a habit that was difficult to break. My brother and I jumped into the car for the flimsiest of excuses—a maple walnut ice cream cone at John Hay or a canister of gummy worms from the newly opened supermarket in Bokawkan. We drove through Loakan to check if the stray cows wandered onto the airport runway, or to a lonely stretch on Marcos Highway where we once unintentionally ran over a big snake. Stormy days were a special treat where howling wind and flying leaves did not deter us from ‘patrolling’ Baguio City to count the number of felled trees, or to see if Lake Drive was flooded again.
Truly, cars and driving are so much a part of our childhood experience. For fathers and sons, it is important bonding time. And now that I’m grown-up, I realize that the ‘senseless’ drives are not so pointless after all.
Times have changed for this generation of children, however. With more fathers working abroad and living away from home, there is no chance to make driving together a regular ritual for fathers and their offspring. The high cost of fuels is also a deterrent to pointless driving. Moreover—and perhaps this is the biggest concern—we are more aware that our cars’ carbon emissions cause global warming.
Those who have watched Al Gore’s widely popular documentary An Inconvenient Truth agree that “the moral imperative to make big changes is inescapable because what we take for granted might not be here for our children.” Scientific data have pinpointed global warming as the main cause of the unusual weather patterns and devastating typhoons and hurricanes that wreak widespread havoc. Indeed, a worldwide environmental effort is needed.
Thus, Republic Act 9367, or the Philippine Biofuels Act, signed in 2006 and put into effect this year, is noteworthy. By mandating that all diesel-powered vehicles run on a blend of at least one-percent coco-methyl ester (CME) in all diesel products sold by April 2007, and five-percent ethanol blend in all gasoline products by January 2009, the law contributes in reducing the negative environmental impact of fossil fuels. Currently, automobiles account for 11 percent of the total greenhouse gases. Through the Biofuels Act, the sensible use of transportation and a conscious effort by each individual to reduce his carbon footprint, global warming can be abated.
Still, the three-day drive to southern Philippines with Isuzu was an experience that could not be missed. Contrary to what many people believe, these ride-and-drive events aren’t a venue for motoring writers to waste fuel, burn rubber and contribute to the already worsening environmental situation. For us jaded, city-based journalists, the trips are a means of reconnecting with the moods and attitudes— the veritable pulse— of the rest of the country. This Isuzu trip that allowed us to traverse southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao was a chance to see if the nautical highway—much ballyhooed as a means of furthering economic progress and promoting interaction and unity in the countryside—really worked. Additionally, the trip was a means of rediscovering the pure joys of simplicity, allowing one to remember and reinforce his affinity with and appreciation for the natural environment.
As part of a six-vehicle Isuzu convoy, we drove south through the SLEX one early morning. Ensconced in the 2007 Alterra’s comfortable back seat, I drifted off to sleep until we reached Laguna where our vehicles were filled up with B1 Shell Diesoline Ultra.
Riding with Auto Review’s Ron de los Reyes, his son Ronald Rey, and Isuzu’s Timmy de Leon, I knew from the onset that this was to be a memorable excursion. Watching the father-and-son tandem work together for their TV show, and being made to feel like I was part of their team, somehow underscored the importance of ‘family’. With Ron at the helm, I couldn’t help but feel confident that we would succeed in the task of making our full tank of gas last throughout the trip. He is, after all, a veteran of numerous fuel-economy drives.
The camera was constantly rolling as we drove past the picturesque countryside. The foliage turned greener as we left the thickly populated towns and our team soaked in the visual stimuli. It seemed that we’d reached the Batangas port in no time at all.
Trucks loaded with produce drove into the mammoth loading bays of the ROROs (roll-on, roll-off ships), followed by buses filled with passengers. There were also numerous smaller vehicles like ours parked at the docks to be able to drive into the ROROs on time. These ships follow a very strict schedule, perhaps to be in tune with the rising and ebbing of the tides.
En route to Mindoro, the ocean water turned to indigo as we sailed further away from land. The Batangas waters have been identified by the scientific community as a bull’s-eye of sorts in terms of marine diversity. And thus, it was a pity to catch sight of white Styrofoam debris and pink, white and yellow plastic bags of litter bobbing in the waves. Aside from polluting the water and endangering marine life, plastic bags take hundreds of years to decompose and require oil to manufacture. A recent article in The Economist, in fact, estimates that “outlawing plastic bags in San Francisco alone will reduce oil consumption by nearly 800,000 gallons a year.” Vehicles are not the sole culprits in pushing up the demand for oil. The automotive sector may be one of the more obvious consumers, but other industry sectors have to do their part in lessening oil requirements, decreasing carbon emissions and reducing the pollutant effects of their products.
In Mindoro, I searched the horizon in vain for the tamaraw. Our textbooks tell us that the animal is endemic to the area, but the creature is uncommon. This may be due to shrinking natural habitats, because growing populations with increasing food demands necessitate the conversion of wildlife areas to cultivated fields. The dry, brown countryside may be down to the season of our visit, but the thought also crossed my mind that Mindoro was the scene of a mining accident in the past. Remembering this and driving through the island could serve as a reminder for us to identify and reassess our priorities. The long-term effects of development must be anticipated so that the environment will not be sacrificed for progress.
We took another RORO to Caticlan and it was tempting to make a quick trip to the nearby fun island that is Boracay. Instead, we landed in Iloilo, home of fabulous old structures that evoke a grand and wealthy past. At Marina, a seafood meal allowed us to savor the fresh bounty of the ocean. We had grilled fish, steamed crabs, clams, prawns and a variety of other seafood, allowing us to realize that oceans of plenty surround the Philippines.
We also had a glimpse of Guimaras Island, scene of the Philippines’ worst oil spills, while on the ferry to Bacolod. It is testament to what real determination to clean up the environment and set things right can achieve. With genuine resolve, environmental harmony and revitaliza-tion of damaged ecosystems are indeed possible.
It cannot be denied that aside from the environmental benefits, there are likewise economic and social ramifications of using coconuts and sugarcane as a means to fuel our vehicles. As we drove through the sugarcane fields on our way out of Bacolod, the thought crossed my mind that the situation could be a double-edged sword. While an increased demand for sugarcane to make ethanol will be good for the planters, this could lessen the land area for planting food. Moreover, the practice of burning sugarcane fields after the harvest to prepare the land for the next season’s planting defeats the environmental effort. Biofuels are excellent but it would be good for the manufacturers to make certain that their production partners follow environment-friendly practices, too.
We visited Dumaguete, home to Silliman University and center of creativity and the arts in the south, but as we drove away from the city, we saw patches of newly dug brown earth, signaling the encroachment of plantations and civilization in the forest. The biggest trees could only be seen when one peered intently at the horizon farthest from the roads.
While cruising past the mountainsides and twisting road, I couldn’t help but remember my changing northern hometown. The dismal effects of environmental degradation are apparent there, too.
Undeniably, the Isuzu trip from Luzon to Visayas and then to Mindanao using B1 Shell Diesoline Ultra, was a means of gaining new insights about the Philippines. Just as driving to other provinces helps you to reconnect and rediscover your commonalities with your countrymen, driving to special places to recharge is essential to uplifting your spirit.
We used only half a tank (roughly 32 liters) of fuel for the entire 700km drive, and gained a renewed appreciation for our country. One cannot help but be thankful that alternative fuels are gaining ground so that driving will not become a guilty pleasure.
Our journey ended in clean, well-kept Dapitan, the town where Jose Rizal, Philippine national hero, spent his exile by serving the community. Intentional or not, Isuzu’s choice of venue for the end of our trip is significant. It signifies that in light of the current situation, all of us have a chance to make better choices. We can all become modern-day heroes for the environment. And we don’t even have to literally lay down our lives to do that.
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Top Gear Philippines - August 2007
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