Evap, BOI back technology alliance with Japanese gov’t

The Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines and the Board of Investments have backed the proposed partnership with Japan for the Joint Credit Mechanism (JCM).

The JCM was set up by the Japanese government to help countries access leading low-carbon technologies.

This move is expected to help countries such as the Philippines achieve low carbon growth while effectively combating climate change.

The Philippines, however, is not yet officially a JCM partner-country.

“The Philippines should be the next developing country to sign up so that we may address climate change mitigation with the help of the Japanese government,” said Evap president Rommel Juan.

In a statement, Juan explained that with the help of the Japanese government through the JCM, the Philippines may be able to reduce its gas emissions, specifically from gas-fueled vehicles such as jeepneys.

Juan claimed that there were 300,000 registered gas-powered jeepneys in the country.

Removing even just 55 old jeepneys with a travel distance of 38 kilometers per route (equivalent to a round trip), operating six trips a day from the road is expected to reduce the country’s gas emissions by as much as 1,050 metric tons a year.

Electric vehicles, meanwhile, have been cited by environmental groups as the “partial solution to global warming.”

“We will now follow up with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Foreign Affairs so that we may push the signing and approval of the Philippines as a partner country for the JCM,” Juan added.

The BOI, for its part, has expressed full support for the country’s partnership with Japan under the JCM.

“We will coordinate with all the necessary agencies to make sure that this program is successful,” BOI executive director Corieh Dichosa was quoted as saying.

In December last year, the Philippines and Japan exchanged a memorandum of agreement to set up the JCM, on the sidelines of the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP 21) in Paris.

The exchange was made between Tamayo Marukawa, Minister of the Environment of Japan, and former Environment Secretary Ramon Jesus P. Paje.

Based on the Aide Memoire, both Japan and the Philippines agreed to advance the necessary procedures to sign the bilateral document to operate the JCM.

Once the bilateral document is signed, the Philippines will become the 17th JCM signatory country, enabling it to boost its cooperation with Japan regarding environment and energy-related issues.

Since 2011, Japan has signed similar partnerships with, among others, Mongolia, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Kenya, Maldives, Vietnam, Lao PDR, Indonesia and Costa Rica, Palau and Cambodia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Chile, Myanmar and Thailand.