Batangas State University alumnus wins E-Trike design contest

By Precie Catherine Cuarto and Nephele Fabiola Kirong

Thursday 1st of March 2012

QUEZON CITY, March 1 (PIA) -- The design submitted by an alumnus of Batangas State University (BSU) bested 180 entries in the nationwide search for the Best E-Trike Design contest by the Department of Energy.

Engineer Allen Marie Pirales, who dubbed his design “The Second Wind,” placed first in the 10 chosen winners of the contest.

Based on Pilares’ description, his design gives a modern look to the tricycle. He emphasized on a the design compact to make it suitable for narrow roads but without compromising passenger comfort.

“Ang inspiration ko po ay ‘yung original tricycle. Kasi sabi nga po ni Secretary [Almendras]kanina, sobrang ingenious ng mga Pinoy na nagawang hanggang eight passengers ang two-passenger motorcycle. At ang problema lang po ay mausok lang talaga. I have always thought this can be improved at ngayon po na engineer [na] ako, I was thinking of how to improve it,” said Pilares.

(“My inspiration is the original tricycle. As what Sec. [Almendras] said a while ago, Filipinos are ingenious to the point that they were able to allow eight passengers from the standard two-passenger motorcycle. And the real problem is the smoke. I have always thought [that] this can be improved and now that I am an engineer, I was thinking of how to improve it,” said Pilares.)

Pilares, who was also a scholar of the Department of Science and Technology, graduated with a degree in Electronics Engineering from BSU.

He, together with first runner-up Julius Valiente of the University of the Philippines and second runner-up Norriele Ace Serrano of the Mapua Institute of Technology, rounded the top three winners that were given P200,000 each today at the awarding ceremony at the Philippine Information Agency. The remaining seven received a consolation prize of P50,000 each.

The design contest is one of the projects of DOE to resolve the country's dependency on price-volatile petroleum fuels.

Designs for the competition were judged based on the following criteria: 50 percent Aesthetics/Creativity; 20 percent Originality/ Innovation; 20 percent Safety and Functionality; and 10 percent Ergonomics.

Meanwhile, DOE Sec. Rene Almendras urged other contestants who were unable to make the cut to still continue pursuing the designs.

“To the other 170 [who are not recognized today], please don’t throw away your designs. Please do not stop looking for somebody who is willing to bet on your designs, build it, and try it, and pilot it,” said Almendras. (PCC/NFK/PIA-GHQ)