Pinoy pride in Shell Eco-marathon Asia 2014

MANILA, Philippines - 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 from Feb. 6 to 9, 2014.

The Philippines plays 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.

For Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation, the Shell Eco-marathon is part of its youth development projects that signify its commitment toward 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.

The Philippine contingent’s teams have been consistent achievers in the Shell Eco-marathon Asia since its inception in 2010, when the Mapua Institute of Technology (MIT) placed first runner-up in the Safety Award as well as in the following year. In 2012, the 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. 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 to the tilt has been ever 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 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.