Tagbilaran City may be big and populous, but if all its environment friendly transport technologies are counted, chances are, a town beats it in the most number of electric bikes (e-bikes).

Trinidad, a town north of Tagbilaran, is now a showcase of clean transport technology with the silent and energy efficient small e-bikes plying on their streets.

We wanted to contribute in our little way, to help mother nature and reduce carbon emissions, but we thought the move would be costly, confesses Mayor Judith Cajes, whose administration has allocated over P13 million for the town’s   programs that aim to lessen the effects of global warming.

With the fund focused on the National Greening Program, Ecological Solid Waste Management (ESWM), Upland and Coastal Natural Resource Management Project and the construction of a residual Containment Area for their Materials Recovery facility, the local leaders under Mayor Cajes and Vice Mayor Frank Gonzales sought for more ways to concretize their steps towards environmental management.

Already cash strapped owing to the numerous priorities that the town is looking at, going for more expensive technologies was just a dream, also admits Jojeline Buendia, secretary to the mayor and town information officer.

But, somehow, we have to do and contribute in our little ways, in the movement to reduce pollution, Buendia added.

The town’s lack of capital however was solved when a private investor offered to the town the patronization of its line of e-bikes.

Racal Motors, whose owners are our friends, offered us to test their e-bikes, and considering a good investment option for our employees cooperative, we accepted the offer, Mayor Cajes shared.

They shipped us about 60 e-bikes, which we offered for credit for our local employees at very low monthly amortizations, Cajes, who is the town’s first lady mayor after 68 years, noted.

Now, we have less than 10 e-bikes available for credit by our employees, according to Mayor Cajes.

Silent and small, but sturdy and efficient, the e-bikes can carry a load of two and one complete battery charging to run its motors, would get you close to 100 kilometers, an e-bike owner shared.

For his bike, he charges it overnight.

Now becoming iconic in the streets of the town, their e-bikes ply the otherwise noisy streets, Trinidad being at the crossroads.

We are thankful to our private partners for this public-private partnership, which we can showcase to our kids, while teaching them why electric is a cleaner energy over fossil fuels, the mayor said.

Also, the town implements “Munting Basura, Ibulsa,” so as to popularize a personal garbage disposal habit that the town hopes to complement their Sticker campaign which has drastically reduced the garbage volume of the town. (rac/PIA-7/Bohol)