ENVIRONMENT WATCH

LPG-fuelled vehicles environment-friendly

BAGUIO CITY – The use of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) or auto gas as alternative fuel for a growing number of motorists is helping this mountain resort city in its campaign to clean the air from the bad smoke emitted by motor vehicles plying the city’s streets every hour.

This was bared by Joseph Wi, president of the local auto gas dealers, who added the shift from gasoline-fed to auto gas fed vehicles would render the smoke emission test being required by the Land Transportation Office before a motor vehicle is registered as irrelevant since the efficient combustion of the fuel would not result in the emission of bad smoke.

According to him, roadside smoke emission testing being done by the LTO would no longer conduct the test on auto gas-fed vehicles due to earlier findings that such vehicles are emitting smoke that are not harmful to the environment.

Aside from being environmentally-friendly, auto gas-fed vehicles also give drivers substantial economic benefits as well as efficiency in the transport services despite earlier doubts on the performance of vehicles using LPG.

Wi said a lot of private and public utility vehicle owners are now realizing the cost-benefit of shifting to auto gas especially in the huge savings it gives to the driver and operator as well as its efficiency and less maintenance work.

One liter of auto gas costs P34.25 per liter while gasoline is a little less than P60 per liter.

Jun Flores, a taxi operator and driver who has used auto gas in his vehicle over the past eight months, testified on the huge benefits he derived from using LPG compared to the time when he was using gasoline.

According to him, he could now bring home at least P500 in less than eight hours of operation compared to almost none at all when he was using gasoline because the money he earns would be spent for re-fuelling his vehicle.

Moreover, Flores revealed he changes oil only after three months unlike the once a month change oil done when he was still using gasoline.

The operator-driver claimed the spark plug of the engine is almost clean and does not require frequent servicing since the auto gas is well burned by the engine unlike gasoline where there are still some particles left thereby clogging the vehicle’s air filter and cleaner.

Wi said motor vehicle owners in the city and Benguet are now being educated to have their vehicles converted into auto gas-fed primarily because of cheaper cost and the economic benefit it brings to the families of the drivers and operators especially during this hard times where everyone must work hard to earn a descent income.

In addition to the environment and economic benefits of auto gas-fed vehicles, the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has granted an addition of two years to the franchises of public utility vehicles which had opted to convert to LPG use, thus, it is an added bonus to earn additional income for the families of the vehicle owners in the future. -- Dexter A. See