The “Tracking Sustainable Transport in the Philippines: Data and Policy Review for Energy Efficiency and Climate Change 2016” was launched by the Department of Transportation, Philippines (DOTr) and the Energy Efficiency and Climate Change Mitigation in the Land Transport Sector in the ASEAN Region (or the Transport and Climate Change, TCC) project alongside Clean Air Asia on 21 February 2017.

The stocktaking report serves as a 2016 baseline reference that provides a status-quo assessment of sustainable transport data and policies in order to identify gaps and develop sustainable transport strategies in the Philippines. Specifically, as the stocktaking report provides actions in strengthening national initiatives and data capacities on fuel economy and green freight and logistics, the launch also provided context to a “Gap Analysis Activity on Fuel Economy and Green Freight and Logistics in the Philippines” that enabled government officials and experts from development institutions and the private sector to discuss data and policy gaps and identify corresponding next steps.

Key take-aways for the development of the fuel economy agenda included supporting policy mechanisms for fleet modernisation and developing standardised data collection and reporting tools. Moreover, priority attention to address main gaps for a green freight and logistics agenda were identified for strengthening the policy basis for truck modernisation and data development through conducting a data needs analysis and requiring truck companies to report trips.

Mr. Tali Trigg, TCC Project Director, highlighted that the stocktaking report is a useful reference in identifying gaps on sustainable transport data and policies and in guiding the development of a national measurable, reportable and verification (MRV) system, which is essential in supporting the Philippine climate goal under the Paris Agreement and further attracts climate financing for identified projects.

Moreover, Mr. Trigg pointed out opportunities to work on data sustainability, expanding the scope of data collection to include peripheral cities, and specific data needs on transport activity, modal structure, CO2 and energy intensity, and emission factors. In terms of policy development, Mr. Trigg highlighted that policies are mostly focused on passenger transport, which provides more opportunities to work on developing freight transport policies.

Ensuring the sustainability and usefulness of the stocktaking report, Mr. Trigg encouraged the DOTr to openly collaborate with the TCC project that offers support for the national implementation of the Kuala Lumpur Transport Strategic Plan, which is the key transport strategy in the ASEAN Region. Mr. Trigg also shared that the TCC project conducts workshops to improve sustainable transport data capacities and provides a technical review for the development of national roadmaps and plans focusing on topical areas of: green freight and logistics, fuel economy, two- and three- wheelers including electrification.

Under secretary Anneli Lontoc of the DOTr shared that the DOTr Decongestion Plan incorporates the avoid shift improve principles in planning out the decarbonisation of the transport sector through traffic decongestion.

The “Tracking Sustainable Transport in the Philippines: Data and Policy Review for Energy Efficiency and Climate Change 2016” stocktaking report can be found here.