Drivers of sustainable mobility

By Chelsey Keith P. Ignacio, Special Features and Content Senior Writer
Addressing the issues concerning mobility has long been a discussion in the Philippines, especially in Metro Manila. But even after years of dealing with congested and polluted roads as well as unsafe sidewalks, mobility in the metro still faces several obstacles to becoming sustainable.
Manila’s urban mobility readiness and public transit are among the worst globally in the Urban Mobility Readiness Index for 2022 by Oliver Wyman and the University of California, Berkeley. It ranked 58th and 56th, respectively, out of 60 cities assessed on the report.
Meanwhile, Manila placed 48th in the sustainable mobility sub-index, which measures a city’s efforts to shift to greener mobility ecosystems. The report noted that for developing cities like Manila, “sustainable mobility is less of a priority and motorized vehicles are likely to remain the most common transit option.”
The shift to sustainable mobility is one of the significant steps to take towards sustainable development. And this journey to sustainable mobility should also go beyond the capital.
So how are organizations in the country doing their part to make mobility sustainable? Leaders talked about their organizations’ part in “Making Way for Sustainable Mobility”, a BusinessWorld Insights online forum held on June 29.
Electric vehicles
Pivoting transport to become sustainable involves addressing its environmental impact through emission reduction. One of the ways to enable that is to widen the use of electric vehicles (EVs). While this mode of transportation is somehow getting attention in the country, there are still challenges hampering them.
For the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (eVAP), one of its programs targets “improvements in public transportation on a systematic and environmental approach by establishing EVs for public use,” eVAP President Edmund A. Araga said.
Mr. Araga noted on the Republic Act No. 11697 or the Electric Vehicle Industry Act, which “helped boost setting this thing up, that shifting into EVs would be one of the options in diversifying the number of vehicles,” he said.
Furthermore, he recognized the efforts of the Department of Energy, particularly with the Comprehensive Roadmap for the Electric Vehicle Industry, and other relevant government agencies. “They work hand-in-hand in having assigned tasks to support the infrastructures in setting up the EV sector,” he added.
Several innovations are also emerging at a rapid pace in the EV industry, Mr. Araga observed, though noting that most manufacturers in the Philippines lack access to these developments compared to other countries like in Europe.
In addition, he acknowledged that EV infrastructure in rural areas remains to be a challenge in terms of power supply.
To transform the mindset towards sustainable mobility, particularly regarding EVs, Mr. Araga said they continue to educate people. He also encouraged the government and the private sector to look further into making the shift to such vehicles. “We need to see the benefits of making use of EVs,” he said.
Active transport
In eliminating pollution on the road, and eventually making mobility more sustainable, active transport like bicycles is also promoted.
National Bicycle Association Director and Founder Benedict L. Camara shared that they have various initiatives together with the public sector to promote cycling. Among which was the lobbying for the annual National Bicycle Day every 4th Sunday of November, which was declared by the Proclamation No. 1052 signed in 2020. The organization also arranged bike lessons for children and adults.
Cycling sped up its popularity as many Filipinos turn to it for transport when the pandemic limited the operations of public utility vehicles back in 2020. Until now, bikes are still the preferred mode of transportation for several people.
But the path for bikes, just like for EVs, remains to have challenges.
“The three major challenges are infrastructure, cost, and policy,” Mr. Camara said. “And these go hand in hand because infrastructure has a cost, and the cost will have to come from the policy because the budget will have to come from somewhere. And all of this takes time.”
He also pointed out the lack of protection for cyclists on the road as another challenge. “Culturally, motorists see cyclists as nuisances. It’s like we’re not allowed to be on the road. So, even now that there are some bike lanes, motorists don’t respect the space; they still take it up,” he said.
There is also lack of facilities for cyclists to park their bikes at certain destinations, such as government and private offices and buildings.
“These are things that we can do without policy. With just a little budget can implement this parking and end-of-trip facilities easily,” Mr. Camara said.
“This will really have a big impact on helping people to bike commute because it’s really discouraging if culturally we don’t respect bikers, because the perception is it’s dangerous to be on the road,” he added.
Mr. Camara emphasized that establishing bike lanes is the “most practical and fastest” means to make cycling safe.
“Even just putting the bike lanes, for me, is a triumph, because it starts to indoctrinate society into biking, and that cycling is an important part of transportation,” he said.
He also hoped for bike parking facilities in public and private buildings to further encourage the use of bikes.
Digitally-enabled mobility solutions
Apart from EVs and bikes, another way to make transport sustainable is by offering mobility solutions that make the movement of people and goods safer and more efficient.
“We, as a private company, have been contributing to the government’s efforts by not only making available more affordable electrified vehicles through our hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) lineup with the multiple pathway approach but also by optimizing the use of the vehicles that are now in operation,” shared Ma. Cristina Fe N. Arevalo, president and CEO of Toyota Mobility Solutions Philippines, Inc. (TMSPH).
Toyota’s HEVs give people more options while the needed EV infrastructure is still in the works, said Ms. Arevalo. She added that the company supports various xEV technologies, from hybrid, battery electric, to fuel cell electric vehicles. But beyond EVs, Ms. Arevalo said that they are upholding ride-sharing as well.
“On top of electrified vehicles, we are promoting the use of our group ride-share platforms. We would like to treat mobility not just equated with a vehicle, but mobility as a service,” she said.
TMPSH harnesses digital technology to provide one-stop mobility solutions such as ride-sharing and rent-a-car services for people, as well as logistic matching and fleet management solutions for goods.
“So, in a sense, we are trying to contribute to reducing the cars on the road by making asset utilization more efficient through our applications,” Ms. Arevalo said.
Housing, bike- and pedestrian-friendly infrastructures
Within industrial developments, how is sustainable mobility being employed?
For Aboitiz InfraCapital Economic Estates, this meant enabling the use of EVs and active transport, as well as providing infrastructure that minds the pedestrians.
“While we are proud of our track record in industrial development, we also realize that our leadership comes with the responsibility to uphold best practices in environmental management, social responsibility, and good governance within the economic estates and its surrounding communities,” said Jolan Formalejo, vice-president for Inventory Generation at Aboitiz InfraCapital Economic Estates.
Reducing their carbon footprint and decarbonizing their operations is one of the environmental challenges that the company seeks to address, according to Mr. Formalejo. Among the ways to do so is executing initiatives to improve mobility in their estates.
To decrease long commutes, traffic congestion, and emissions, Mr. Formalejo shared that they provided housing options for locator employees.
“We take pride in our pioneering efforts to transform infra-estate transportation,” Mr. Formalejo added, sharing on EV integration into their operations.
“In fact, our proactive approach has already sparked interest among some of our locators, who have expressed a strong desire to embrace the use of EVs as a means to enhance employee mobility,” he said.
Aboitiz InfraCapital has also considered the value of bike lanes and walkability in its economic estates.
“Recognizing the importance of active transport, we have invested as well in improving bike lanes and walkways within our estates. By prioritizing pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, we aim to encourage employees and residents to embrace cycling and walking as a viable alternative to motorized transport,” Mr. Formalejo said.
“By providing sustainable housing, embracing electric mobility, improving active transport infrastructure, and transforming public realms, we’re setting the stage for a greener and more livable world. So, I encourage all our leaders and those of us who have the power and responsibility to make a change, let’s get involved, let’s come together and be part of this movement,” he expressed.
This forum is the first in BusinessWorld Insights’ series on sustainability under Project KaLIKHAsan, PhilSTAR Media Group’s newest initiative that converges print, digital, and on-ground platforms to raise the cause of meaningful, concrete sustainability in industries and communities.
This session of BusinessWorld Insights is in partnership with Aboitiz InfraCapital Economic Estates and is supported by the Asia Society-Philippines, French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Philippines, Management Association of the Philippines, Makati Business Club, Philippine Franchise Association, and The Philippine STAR.