Senator Ralph Recto, author of the Alternative Fuel Incentives Bill, drives an e-jeepney in Makati.

MANILA, Philippines - Electric jeeps (e-jeepney) just may be the answer to soaring fuel prices. Proponents of the alternative fuel jeepneys think so as they launch the country's (and possibly the world's) first commercial franchise of public utility e-jeepneys.



Sen. Ralph Recto, author of the Alternative Fuel Incentives Bill which proposes to grant incentives for those using alternative fuel, personally drove an e-jeepney along Glorietta and Makati Avenue to test the vehicle.



According to Recto, international fuel prices may reach the $150/barrel mark by the middle of the year which would further push fuel prices up.



"One clear solution is to promote the use of alternative fuel vehicles for public transport," Recto said.



This week, another oil price hike is expected, around 50 to 60 centavos per liter for both gasoline and diesel. This is already the fourth consecutive hike totalling more than P5/liter for gasoline and more than P3/liter for diesel.



Earlier this month, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) issued the country's first electric public utility jeepney franchise to eJeepney Transport Corporation (EJTC).



"We may be the first to hold the commercial franchise, but what we want is to have more green operators replicating the initiative all over the country," Yuri Sarmiento, CEO of EJTC, in a statement.



Beginning March 1, the e-jeepney in Makati will start charging a minimum of P8, the same charge as that of regular diesel-run jeepneys. The e-jeepney will be plying the streets of Legaspi Village and Salcedo Village.



Red Constantino, director of the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, said a fully charged e-jeep battery which will allow the driver to travel 100 kilometers would only cost around P200 to P250. This is cheaper than a diesel-run jeepney, which would need around P2,000 for a full tank to travel the same distance.



The e-jeepney drivers will also get a fixed salary, and all the government-imposed benefits like Social Security System (SSS) Pag-Ibig and Philhealth.



But more than the monetary consideration, the group said e-jeepneys have a tremendous contribution to the environment and the improvement of living standards of jeepney drivers. - Reporting by Alvin Elchico, ABS-CBN News