Filipino pride in Shell Eco-marathon Asia 2014

Filipino engineering students are taking center stage once more in the prestigious, annual smarter mobility event of power, energy and gas technology leader Shell.

This time, their participation is marked with greater anticipation and enthusiasm as the Shell Eco-marathon Asia will be held for the first time  in Manila on Feb. 6-9, 2014.

The Philippines will be playing host to the globally renowned energy challenge until 2016, as the baton is passed from Sepang, Malaysia, where the Asian leg has been held for the past three years.

The Shell Eco-marathon encourages youth from Asia, Europe and the Americas to help address future energy demands through innovative methods—by designing fuel-efficient vehicles, achieving clean and efficient transport, and thereby inspiring smarter infrastructure and smarter cities of the future.

Moreover, for Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., the Shell Eco-marathon is part of its youth development projects that signify its commitment toward nation-building.

Related advocacies in social development, such as road safety, driver education, environmental management, and many others, also ultimately contribute to the same goal of nation-building.

Especially as Shell celebrates its 100 years of doing business in the Philippines in 2014, hosting the Eco-marathon Asia is a privileged opportunity to place the spotlight on the ingenuity and innate talent of the Filipino youth to potentially clinch top awards and to break more records.

Track record of success

The Philippine contingent’s teams have been consistent achievers in the Shell Eco-marathon Asia since its inception in 2010, when  Mapua Institute of Technology (MIT) placed first runner-up in the Safety Award as well as in the following year.

In 2012, De La Salle University (DLSU)-Manila received the Technical Innovation Award, while the Technological Institute of the Philippines (TIP)-Manila was awarded Best in Team Spirit. The year 2013 was a banner year as MIT and DLSU-Manila received the Technical Innovation Award and Communications Award, respectively. The University of San Carlos (USC) also won second place in a special Student Energy Challenge Award.

From merely three entries of three engineering schools in 2010, the Philippines’ participation in the tilt has been increasing, with next year counting a record-breaking total of 17 vehicles from 11 schools.

Given the cancellation of the 2013 Eco-marathon in Malaysia earlier this year due to adverse environmental conditions at that time, the nine originally participating Filipino entries will be fielded anew in the 2014 competition.

These are vehicles from DLSU-Manila, MIT, USC, TIP-Quezon City, Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP)-Manila and the University of Santo Tomas (UST).

TIP-Quezon City, PUP-Manila and UST also developed additional entries, while more vehicles have made it from TIP-Manila and new participating schools such as DLSU-Dasmariñas, Don Bosco Technical College-Mandaluyong and Adamson University.

These schools will join fellow engineering wizards throughout the region.  Shell Eco-marathon organizes races in the categories of urban concept and prototype vehicles.

The 2014 Philippine entries exhibit the latest in sustainable mobility, utilizing traditional diesel or gasoline fuel coupled with fuel-efficient driving techniques and technology.

A number of vehicles will also showcase expertise in developing new energy sources, such as electric mobility through the use of electric batteries.

Most notably, a pioneering entry from MIT will use 100 percent fatty-acid methyl ester or FAME, one of the most promising and prominent biofuels being developed around the world today.

FAME is a renewable biodiesel made from soybean oil.

Indeed, with such a strong contingent in the landmark Shell Eco-marathon Asia in Manila, Filipino engineering will definitely shine and the Philippines will hopefully be placed on the map of the global quest for innovations in mobility.