Firm offers 100 electric taxis for Baguio
BAGUIO CITY—An electric vehicle (EV) distributor has offered to supply up to 100 electric taxis for the city’s mass transport system amid concerns over global oil supply disruptions.
The proposal of Device Design Green and Smart (DDGNS) Corp. comes in the wake of geopolitical tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which have affected shipping routes, such as the Strait of Hormuz, where oil tankers and other commodity vessels have reportedly halted operations.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong, however, expressed reservations over the proposal, citing the potential to worsen the city’s already heavy traffic congestion.
Consultation
In a message to Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chair Vigor Mendoza, Magalong said that the city must be properly consulted before any additional public utility vehicles are introduced in Baguio.
He pointed to a 2023 traffic survey showing that an average of 60,000 vehicles traverse the city’s 349 kilometers of narrow roads, originally designed for a population of only 20,000—far below the 366,358 residents recorded in the 2020 census.
Mendoza assured the mayor that the LTFRB has not yet endorsed DDGNS’ proposal and will defer to the city’s decision.
Ronald Salunga, DDGNS chief executive officer, told the city council during an April 22 public consultation that the company plans to negotiate directly with taxi franchise holders whose units are already 13 years old and due for replacement under existing regulations.
DDGNS will replace existing units on a “one-to-one” basis with EV460 units—Changan Eado electric sedans popular in China—to avoid increasing the number of vehicles in Baguio, according to Salunga.
The proposal was presented during discussions on April 20 and during a recent consultation with Rey Bacoco, president of the Federation of Baguio PUV (public utility vehicle) Transport Corporation.
App-based
The planned system would operate through an app-based booking platform, Salunga said. It also includes the construction of charging stations where electric cabs can swap batteries instead of lining up for recharging, to prevent disruptions in operations.
Councilor Fred Bagbagen, chair of the council committee on transportation, said that some form of government oversight would still be necessary if an electric taxi network is eventually allowed to operate in Baguio.
Magalong said he is not opposed to EVs, noting that he has been pushing for Baguio’s shift to green transport as early as 2020.
