Sikat II to compete in world solar car challenge

Students of De La Salle University has done multiple test runs like recently in the North Luzon Expressway in preparation for the 2011 World Solar Challenge in Australia in October. The Philippine Solar Car Challenge Society Inc. (PSCCSI) is preparing for the World Solar Challenge 2011.

Also, Jan H. Kierulf, executive director for research and development of Victory Liner, a Luzon based bus company, stressed during the launch of “Victory Against Climate Change” program in Quezon City that a partnership initiative between the bus company and the Climate Change Commission (CCC) found the necessity for lawmakers to pass a measure that will “legalize” electric powered vehicles, or e-vehicles and allow the Land Transportation Office to set-up specifications and establish safety standards for such types of vehicles.

Federico Lopez, PSCCSI Chairman and Chief Executive said that Sikat II is a testament to Filipino Ingenuity, talent and technological capability in tapping clean and natural sources of energy such as solar power.

About Sikat II:
Sikat II boasts many improvements in design & mechanical features compared to its predecessors namely Sinag and Sikat I. It sports a sleek and aerodynamic body made of lightweight carbon fiber honeycomb composite. Faster than its predecessors, Sikat II can run at top speed of 110-kilometers per hour with its 2-kilowatt motor that weighs less than 180 kilograms, which is 10kg lighter than Sinag.

When running on its 4000 watt-hour Lithium Ion battery and solar array power at a speed of 85Km/Hr, Sikat II can travel more than 800 Kilometers. It is powered by solar energy harvested and converted into electricity by photovoltaic cells. The solar panels are from Sunpower Philippines, a leading manufacturer of high-efficiency solar cells in the world. These solar cells are proudly made in the Philippines-made and manufactured by Sunpower in their Batangas and Laguna Plants.

10 Lapu Lapu Students to serve as ecology police

At least ten public elementary and high school students in Lapu Lapu City will be deployed to the different barangays in the city to check whether barangays comply with environmental laws. Lapu Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza said the ten students were picked from around 3,000 children who are in Grade 4 and Grade 5 and second year and fourth year who will later undergo training before citation tickets will be issued to them.

She said students will be told to issue citation tickets to ordinary individuals as well as barangay officials who violate these laws.

The Lapu Lapu City government signed a memorandum of agreement with the University of San Jose Recoletos College of Law for the implementation of environmental laws in the city.

Boost Tourism by protecting nature

The tourism industry in any city grows if its ecology is protected. Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn said one way his city kept tourism sustainable is by maintaining a state of the art landfill facility. The Mayor was a guest speaker and awardee during the 888 News Forum at the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel. Hagedorn lauded Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama for his implementation of the No-segragation No-collection policy.

Cebu City is scouting private waste facilities as Rama is set to close the Inayawan Sanitary Landfill by October 1 following the implementation of the segregation policy last april. Also, Hagedorn said that together with his city government, strictly monitored forests and made sure that development did not draw illegal settlers. Since settlers would affect tourism, they also implemented socialized housing that already benefited 9,000-20,000 beneficiaries. We are also aiming for zero squatters by 2013.

Hagedorn also urged Cebuanos to vote for the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park in the search for the seven new wonders of the world. The river is currently ranked 15th among the nominees and need more votes. To vote, visit www.new7wonders.com.

Aboitiz Plants 35,000 seedlings in nationwide tree planting

Team members of Aboitiz Group Companies planted an estimated 35,000 seedlings in different areas nationwide during their annual simultaneous tree planting last July 23. In Cebu, more than 500 volunteers braved the muddy and sloping terrain in Barangay Pung-ol Sibugay in Cebu City to plant approximately 17,000 seedlings of indigenous trees on a nine-hectare land.

Other sites of the tree planting included Laguna, Rizal, Compostela Valley, Agusan del Norte, Manila, Subic, Davao, Albay and Maguindanao.

The company plants these trees not for the sake of planting but to support local-indigenous tree planting to support and complement local flora and fauna for a healthier ecosystem. PBSP who was also present during the event, also supported such an initiative and even endorses integrated watershed management projects to its members as a strategy to combat climate change and to reverse loss of natural resources. The Aboitiz Group and PBSP have been partners in implementing various social development projects.

The simultaneous tree planting is part of AEV-Sustainability Team’s Aboitiz Passion for Reforest and Agrofest to keep (APARK), a group wide biodiversity enhancement program that seeks to plant 3 million trees nationwide by 2015. Partners have reported 90-95% survival rate for trees in Aloguinsan in 2009 and Barangay Sayaw in 2010.