Hybrid Electric Road Train Technology of the DOST Eyed to be Adopted by the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA)
by Kai H. Negado
In the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority’s (CEZA) pursuit to become a self-sustaining industrial and commercial investment area, the support and use of local technologies are at the forefront. This may be exactly what the CEZA Secretary Jaime R. Escaño had in mind when he envisioned a more efficient means of transporting goods in and around CEZA.
The HERT was originally developed as an alternative mass transport system in areas experiencing heavy traffic congestion. The Filipino-designed and developed HERT has locally available parts. It is powered by a combination of diesel fuel and a battery generator, has rubber wheels, and runs on existing roads. It features a regenerative brake system and does not emit smoke, making it environmentally friendly. The HERT offers the best solution to the transportation requirements presently faced by CEZA.
Engr. Robert O. Dizon, Executive Director of the DOST-MIRDC met with Sec. Escaño and other officials of the CEZA on November 14-15, 2022, to look into possible areas of collaboration to address CEZA’s transportation requirements.
The DOST-MIRDC team’s inspection and visits to various sites in Sta. Ana, Cagayan yielded fruitful results. The local government of Sta. Ana and CEZA envisioned the Port of Irene and the Port of San Vicente as the prime ports of the country due to their strategic location on the Eastern side of the Philippines. CEZA is looking for ways to boost the current transport system in anticipation of the escalation of economic activities within the port area.
This collaboration may also possibly tap the involvement of the academe. In another project, the DOST-MIRDC, in collaboration with DOST Regional Offices and state universities, has established Metals and Engineering Innovation Centers (MEICs) that are specially designed to cater to the peculiar metalworking needs of the regions. MEICs are located inside the campus of a state university recommended by the DOST Regional Offices. In the case of Region II, the site of the MEIC is inside the Cagayan State University campus. MEICs can also contribute to the success of the HERT project with the CEZA as these facilities may be used in the development of the HERT.
With major stakeholders on board, the benefits of using locally developed technologies such as the DOST’s HERT will not only bring out the innovativeness of our best engineers and technicians but will also prove that our Filipino experts and local capabilities are able to address pressing challenges that are specific to the needs of the community.
