AAP DRIVE AUGUST 2006 ISSUE

P40.00 AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2006

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editorial

In search of alternatives

The AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION PHILIPPINES is the country’s first and pioneering auto club. Founded in 1931 and formerly known as the Philippine Motor Association (PMA), it continues to be a non-stock and not-forprofit organization committed to the promotion of the general welfare of motorists in the Philippines. It is a member of the Alliance Internationale de Tourisme (AIT) and the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA).

President Vice President Treasurer Directors

We at the AAP are all optimists. We always look at the bright side of things. When we see the fuel indicator of our cars approaching the halfway mark, we think of it as being half full, not as half empty. We try to shun away from negative thoughts.

But recent events have tested our optimism. Israel suddenly started bombing Lebanon, sending crude oil prices to $70 a barrel. As we put this issue to bed, oil prices are pegged at $75, and doomsayers are predicting this to shoot up to $100 before the year ends.

In the past, we never listened to such predictions. We’re optimists, remember? However, the reality has continuously nagged us from the backseat, especially whenever we gassed up. Now we could no longer look at the pump price without feeling horrified. Huh? It’s up by 50 centavos again?! It was just P42 yesterday!!

And it seems there’s no stopping this gas station nightmare..

So what are we to do? Stop driving altogether? Use bicycles instead?

Walk?

Nah. The AAP exists because people like us love our cars so much.

Our cover story for this issue provides us with some options. Petroleum is not the only substance available that is capable of making our beloved

Corporate Secretary Executive Director Membership Services Emergency Roadside Assistsnce Finance & Admin Marketing North Luzon Expressway

Augusto C. Lagman Juan B. Angeles, Jr. Jacinto M. Mantaring, Jr. David L. Arcenas Rodolfo C. Bautista Jose Armando L. Eduque Nona F. Esquivel Gen. Angel G. Kanapi (ret.)

Aida Sevilla Mendoza Atty. Nestor Mejia Jose Armando L. Eduque Necitas Zornosa Margie Tumale Therese C. dela Cerna Christine Jean Jaquet Margie Tumale

Head Office: 683 Aurora Boulevard, 1112 Quezon City, Philippines.

Tel: (632) 705.1900 connecting all departments. Fax: (632) 726.4227 / 726.5878 Makati Office: C-6 Guadalupe Arcadia, J.P. Rizal Extension, Guadalupe, Makati. Tel. (632) 882.59.85 or 882.60.39 Cebu Office: Unit 105 G/F CRM Bldg. Corner Escario & Molave Sts. Cebu City. Tel: (6332) 232.64.06. Fax: (6332) 233.99.71 Davao Office: G/F Door Abiva Building 127 Mc Arthur Highway, Matina, Davao City. Tel: (6382) 299.49.61 North Luzon Expressway Office: Km 45 Pulilan Toll Plaza, North Luzon Expressway Brgy Tibag, Pulilan, Bulacan. Tel: (63.2)299.83.39

vehicles move. Since the invention of the automobile, scientists have been searching for various alternative fuels ranging from natural gas to peanut oil (this was the fuel used by Rudolf Diesel when he first showed his invention at the Paris World Exposition in 1900). All of the alternative fuels work in varying degrees, but not all are economically viable. In fact, if petroleum were not as limited as it is, we would not even bother developing alternative fuels. It’s always cheaper to hit the jackpot of an oil well than grow crops and process them into oil.

In this issue, we present all available alternative fuels and evaluated them according to their positive and negative qualities as well as general outlook.

We also surveyed fuel saving devices available in the market and presented their manufacturer’s claims (we didn’t have the time to test them). And finally, we introduce you to the men who are in the forefront of promoting

DRIVE is a bimonthly publication of the Automobile Association Philippines (formerly Philippine Motor Association). Began as a tabloid in 2003, DRIVE was transformed into its present format in 2005 and is being mailed directly to more than 65,000 AAP members all over the country.

While every care is taken in compiling every issue of DRIVE, the AAP assumes no responsibility for any consequences arising from errors or omissions. The opinions of the writers and/or contributors are personal and do not necessarily reflect those of the AAP. For comments or suggestions, email the editor at junep.ocampo@gmail.com. Past issues available at www.aaphilippines.org.

Editor Marketing

the use of alternative fuels – from the president of an independent oil company to two members of a religious organization who make diesel from used cooking oil.

When you finish reading this issue, we hope you will have a fresh perspective on the new fuels for your car and will then be willing enough to at least give them a try. Although we’re all optimists in AAP, we believe that even the best ideas will not succeed if the majority does not support it.

Design

Junep Ocampo Christine Jean Jaquet Vanessa Hutalla Susan Estrada Gerry Baclagon

TEXT HOTLINE: 0917.812.6000 and 0918.812.6000 EMERGENCY ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE HOTLINE (632) 723.0808 August - September 2006

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making motoring fun

BY GUS LAGMAN, AAP President

T

he rapid advancement in technology and the ever increasing cost of promoting a product or service in television and newspapers have led to the growth of the outdoor advertising industry in recent years.

Billboards and road safety

Suddenly, both sides of our major roads in Metro Manila were filled with multicolored advertisements, some as high as 16-storey buildings. Ten years ago, these billboards could only be seen in cities like New York or Tokyo. In fact, the place they call Times Square in New York, for example, would never be the same without its billboards.

The mushrooming of billboards can be traced to large-scale printing becoming widely available. In the past, large-scale prints were done only in Hong Kong at very steep rates. Now, you can have tarpaulin prints as big as two basketball courts at P17 per square foot.

No wonder all – from companies to politicians — want to have their billboards, and they all want their billboards to be big.

showed that billboards were not that significant a factor in accidents.

A 2001 study of the University of North Carolina commissioned by the American Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety said that items such as CB radios, temperature controls and billboards were not significant distractions to drivers compared to cellular phones, the radio or even passengers.

An earlier study done in the 1950s also showed no direct correlation between outdoor advertising and traffic accidents and statistics on fatal accidents from US Department of Transportation, the State Department of Transportation and property/casualty insurance companies all indicate a very low effect of billboards on driving.

To ban or not to ban In recent months, billboards have become a hot issue. They litter the cityscape and have become a safety concern, with a number of them crashing on houses and cars.

Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago has a pending bill that seeks to ban billboards near schools, churches, houses or major thoroughfares.

She wants to limit billboards mainly along the highways in the provinces where there are less people and where there would be less damage should the billboards collapse.

Moves to ban billboards are not new. As early as 1909, many cities in the United States have tried to put laws into effect to ban billboards but the First Amendment, which guarantees Freedom of Expression, has made these attempts difficult. A law in San Diego, California passed in 1971 cited traffic safety and driver distraction as the reason for the billboard ban, but the US Supreme Court narrowly overturned this law in 1981 because it also banned non-commercial billboards.

Safety aid?

On the contrary, analysts suggest that in some cases, billboards, if positioned and spaced properly, can even make the traffic environment safer. Road safety experts in America say that the presence of advertising signs in rural areas are of value in reducing a driver’s boredom, which, in many cases, cause accidents.

There have been surveys also that showed that the lighting provided by billboards give security and visibility to many motorists.

The Federal Highway Administration has even gone on record in 1999 to say that they agree that appropriately regulated billboards do not compromise highway safety.

I was truly surprised at the result of these studies, although, I must admit that billboards do help somewhat in preventing boredom. And non-commercial use of billboards, especially for traffic safety, is known to be very effective.

A distraction Billboards have also long been accused of being distractions to drivers and a cause of accidents. I was surprised to know, however, that exhaustive research on driver distraction in the US

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What to do What then can be done to billboards in the Philippines?

First, I truly believe that billboards are cluttering the scenery in our countryside and in Metro Manila, and in my book anything cluttered is ugly. I do not need the Advertising Board or any artists group to tell me that. Having said that, however, I don’t mind a few billboards every so

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many kilometers along our highways. Perhaps, rather than a complete ban, authorities should impose some kind of limit.

Second, there should be very strict regulations regarding the structure on which these billboards stand. One of these days, some columnist would write, “Why did they have to wait for somebody to die before they implemented some rules?” The Building Code mandates city engineers to inspect all structures in their areas of responsibility and make sure they are safe. But hey, we’re in the Philippines and most of the time, our city engineers are busy doing something else. We cannot just say, “Bahala na siya dyan!” Remember what happened to Ozone Disco? Negligence by city hall had led to numerous tragedies like that.

And third, those “video” billboards (or whatever they call them) may be a cure for boredom but I tell you, they are very distracting to drivers. The one on Guadalupe Bridge, for instance, is so bright that it

causes me momentary blindness whenever I pass there.

The bottom line is safety should always be the number one concern in anything we do on the road. Anything that’s abused is bad, and in the case of billboards, they have mushroomed too fast and too soon that they have become road hazards and no longer safety aids as they are in other countries.

Now is the time to institute some controls — before anything tragic happens again. *** Our proposal to the Land Transportation Office to assist in the actual test drive of new drivers is still pending. Keep on reading this column for updates. For feedback and suggestions, email me at guslagman@gmail.com.

Again, drive safely and happy motoring!

Death in the family car

The Philippines’ foremost biographer recalls what could be the first fatal automobile accident in the country – his dad’s By CARLOS QUIRINO

My earliest recollection of the family car was the death of my father in an automobile accident – undoubtedly the first one in the Philippines – when I was two months short of the age of four. The tragic death of my father has been indelibly etched in my memory.

My parents were devout Catholics, and they decided to visit the shrine of the miraculous Virgin of Peace and Good Voyage in Antipolo in mid November of 1913. Why they chose that day, I don’t know, because the usual observance is held in the month of May. We went to Antipolo in my father’s car, an Ames Continental with an open canvas top. He had grown fond of automobiles during his sojourn in Europe, when he was taking postgraduate medical courses in Germany.

“Despite his short length of time in Germany,” a fellow physician, told me many years later; “he studied the German language to the point of perfection, such that some Germans in Manila who had conversed with him in this tongue could not understand how in the short period of eight months he had been able to express himself so well in their language, a difficult one to learn by strangers. He was one of the very few Filipino physicians who shared his scientific knowledge he had obtained in Germany with his countrymen. Free from egotism, I was told, a lover of progressive ideas in the medical science of his country, he hastened to transmit to his colleagues what he had seen and read in the medical journals which he received from Germany, and anything of value to his profession.”

My father’s fondness for that contraption, the automobile, which he had grown to like while he was in Europe, proved to be his undoing. He was often behind the wheel, for there were very few professional chauffeurs in the city at that time. In the afternoon of November 9, 1913, after lunch, he gathered his entire family consisting of his widowed mother, Doña. Trining, his wife Doña. Lolita, his two sons Felix and Carlos, and a young man named Kiko who cleaned the car when not in use, for a pilgrimage to Antipolo. We drove past Cainta and Taytay on the dirt road to Antipolo.

After saying our prayers at the town’s church, we drove back at sunset for Manila. Gravel roads in the islands were then not as wide or as smooth as today, and in negotiating one of the hairpin turns the car got out of control and plunged down the steep side of the hill. The automobile rolled over once, then shuddered to a halt at the bottom with wheels to the side. The women screamed and my brother and I

cried in fright. I had fallen asleep, and woke up on the stony ground.

All of us, except for my father, were safe and sound, miraculously it seemed, except for some minor scratches and bruises. But not for my father. The wooden steering wheel had snapped with the fall, and a jagged edge had entered his chest. He was bleeding from the mouth and nose. His death must have been almost instantaneous.

When Don Juan Sumulong, the town’s foremost resident, heard of the accident from passersby, he and the parish priest immediately rushed to the scene of the accident, but there was little they could do to help.

Dusk had fallen by the time we were brought up from the bottom where the car lay. On board a carretela, or horse rig, the dead body was brought back to the town, with its head on my mother’s lap. To this day, seven decades later, I remember vividly how she cried as the blood oozed out of his nostrils and mouth. My grandmother took my brother and I in each of her hands, as we trudged back to the town. It was a moonlit night and I can never forget how we followed the cart a kilometer back to town. As we walked behind the cart, I could feel that something terrible had happened, but I could not comprehend that the accident had been fatal for my father, and for a long time afterwards I kept asking for him, and when they told me he had gone on a trip I never realized that he had gone for good.

The next day Don Juan arranged for us to return to Manila, where an autopsy was made on my father’s cadaver. The doctor said he had ulcer perforations in his intestines. Dr. Gregorio Singian, our family physician, then revealed that my father had fainting spells and was in bad shape physically at the time of his death. Apparently he had one of the fainting spells while at the wheel, thus losing control of the car. Yet, he had carefully kept the information from his mother and wife in order not to worry them.

August - September 2006

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road safety

NEWS

Road Safety Call Center operational soon The AAP Road Safety Call Center will be officially launched on August 31 at the Hotel Philippine Plaza, with no less than Vice President Noli de Castro as guest of honor.

The call center is a joint project of the AAP and Toyota Motor Philippines and seeks to provide a linkage between motorists and government agencies. Its main role is to receive complaints from motorists on road hazards they see, relay these complaints to appropriate government agencies, and make follow up calls until the road hazards are addressed.

Hotline numbers that can be reached through landline or cell phone are available on this page. The call center can also receive complaints through text messaging.

Sen. Richard Gordon, who has a pending bill against drunk driving, has been invited to give the keynote speech. Other government officials expected to grace the event are Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza, Public Works Undersecretary Manuel Bonoan, Land Transportation Office chief Anneli Lontoc, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board chairperson Elena Bautista, and Metro Manila Development Authority director Angelito Vergel de Dios.

AAP Vice President Johnny Angeles said the event is the culmination of the year-long series of road safety conferences that the AAP has been doing with the help of Toyota and the National Center for Transportation Studies.

During the event, Angeles said the AAP would also launch a slogan-making contest for the Philippine version of the Think Before You Drive campaign of the International Automobile Federation.

For updates, please check www.aaphilippines.org.

Urvan Estate: Luxury at a better price When gas prices go up, the ones who feel its immediate effect are the motorists. Over the past months, some taxi companies have converted their units to run on LPG. More and more compact cars are finding their way on the streets, while gas-guzzling vehicles are gathering dust and selling at almost half their original prices at used car shops.

Nowadays, it seems owning a luxurious vehicle has become an unattainable indulgence.

Not if you buy a Nissan Urvan Estate.

Universal Motors Corporation gave luxury a better price by introducing the Urvan Estate at a more affordable price giving motorists the opportunity to enjoy luxury and comfort at a practical value.

The Urvan Estate offers an expansive exterior and interior that

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exude nothing but elegance. Its gentle curves give the vehicle a hint of grace—a fitting prelude to the beautiful interior that awaits every passenger. A smooth slide of the door and one would immediately shed even the smallest doubt that the Estate is indeed a first-class vehicle.

Its interior gives its privileged owners acres of legroom to kick their shoes off and enjoy the ride without the nasty muscle cramps.

Plush high-back seats that are ergonomically designed to support the spine make each journey as pleasant as the destination itself.

High endurance seat cushions let you enjoy its comfort for many years. Unlike any other vans, the Estate features rear air conditioning that allows individual ventilation for each row keeping passengers cool and comfy no matter where they are seated. And because the Estate can sit twelve people comfortably, the whole family can enjoy the luxury and ease of travel even on the longest of road trips.

The Nissan Urvan Estate retails for only P1.295 million at your local Nissan dealer.

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AAP

Remember the 1969 Cebu Grand Prix?

news

Time to go to LTO Is your car’s plate number ending in 9 or 0?

Then it’s time to renew your vehicle registration this September or October.

The scheduled week of registration shall follow the middle number of your plate: For 1, 2, and 3 it’s the 1st week; for 4, 5, and 6 it’s the 2nd week; for 7 and 8 it’s the 3rd week and for 9 and 0 it’s the 4th week Please follow this schedule to avoid penalties.

If your driver’s license is expiring and you are celebrating your birthday this September and October, you should renew your license a week before the date of your birth. Penalties are now imposed on late renewals even if you do it on the same month.

Breakdown on the road? Call us!

The AAP takes pride in having the best towing service in the country. In case your car breaks down on the road, just call our hotline (723-0808) and be sure to give the operator the following information: Your name, AAP membership number, vehicle’s make, model and plate number, exact location, nature of breakdown and contact number.

Always appoint a representative to ride with our towing crew while your vehicle is being towed.

If you are able to start your vehicle before the arrival of the ERS team, please call to cancel your service booking.

Soon to open: AAP Alabang Motorists from south metro will soon have easy access to AAP services through an AAP satellite office at the Alabang Town Center Motortown.

The satellite office will formally be operational

by October. It will offer various AAP products and services such as international driving permits, emergency roadside assistance, driving lessons, and others.

Plans are being laid out for an AAP auto accessory show that will coincide with the opening of AAP Alabang. For updates, please log on to www.aaphilippines.org.

The young people of Cebu may just be starting to discover car racing, but that does not make motorsports a new hobby for the youth in the Queen City of the South.

In fact, young Cebuanos have been indulging in this exhilarating pastime as early as the 1960s. Proof of that is the staging of the first Philippine Grand Prix – which is the first ever circuit race in the country – at the Mactan reclamation area almost 37 years ago.

The Cebu Grand Prix, held Dec. 14, 1969, and many other interesting bits and pieces on Philippine car racing history will be remembered as the AAP launches the book Fast Lane at the Kart Zone Cebu on Saturday, Sept. 9.The flag off for the historic Cebu GP is the cover of Fast Lane, a 224-page coffeetable book that chronicles the development of Philippine car racing from the 1950s to the present.

The book is a combination of easy-to-read stories and hundreds of never-beforepublished photographs of saloon cars, go-karts, formula cars, rally cars and offroad vehicles.

Fast Lane’s launch will coincide with the Cebu leg of the 2006 National Karting Championships to be held Sept. 9 and 10 at the Kart Zone. For inquiries, please call the AAP Cebu

PAST TO FUTURE: Legendary race car driver Pocholo Ramirez (3rd from right) hands over a copy of Fast Lane to Asian karting champ Michelle Bumgarner during the book’s public launch at the National Bookstore in Shangrila Plaz Mall in Mandaluyong. With them are AAP Executive Director Mandy Eduque (left) and Fast Lane author Junep Ocampo. The book is now available in at least 20 National Bookstore branches.

office at (032) 232.64.06

Sport Truck & Custom Car Show September 27 - October 1, 2006 Megatrade Halls 1, 2, & 3 Truck and car show at Megamall It’s all systems go for the 2006 Sport Truck and Custom Car Show at SM Megamall this Sept. 27 to Oct. 1. This year’s show will highlight some important international affiliations like the one with the International Auto Sound Challenge Association (IASCA). An IASCA pavilion will showcase all winners of the best sound setup for last year and this year.

There will also be tech-related seminars and lectures on motorsports, and of course displays of new products and gadgets. For more information, call 671-3122 or 671-8381.

August - September 2006

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cover story

Brewing Fuel

In Binanongan, Rizal, used cooking oil is being turned into diesel By JUNEP OCAMPO

F

ranklin del Rosario and Gerry Tabares, mechanical engineer and businessman, respectively, have found a new way of beating the high cost of fuel – by scrounging used cooking oil from fastfood restaurants and turning these into diesel.

The two are the founding fathers of SC Holdings, Inc., a company registered only recently with the Securities and Exchange Commission but has been operating since last year. Their main business is the manufacture of biodiesel straight from waste vegetable oil.

SC Holdings has other “fathers” as founder-incorporators, called such because of their occupation — they are priests (Fr. Leonardo Polinar and Fr. Raul G. Dumadag). In fact, “SC” refers to Servant Community, a religious group under the Catholic Church, and being a non-profit organization, the group had to form a private company to engage in business.

Way of helping Tabares revealed that manufacturing biodiesel is SC’s way of helping its members cope with the ever-rising fuel prices and protect the environment. This is part of the “holistic salvation” that the group is promoting, he says, which is saving the body and not just the soul.

SC Holdings’ biodiesel factory is right inside the seminary called the Pastoral Assistance in Community Evangelism and Mission or PACEM in Binanongan, Rizal. Built from mostly donated equipment and materials, the factory has become the main source of funds for the religious organization.

Fr. Leonardo Polinar, who heads PACEM, said making biodiesel is now a livelihood program for SC members. According to him, SC members serve as “agents” who go to restaurants looking for used cooking oil. They get P25 per every pail of oil they “discover” while SC Holdings buy the oil from the restaurants from as low as P200 per pail in restaurants like Pier One to as high as P300 per pail in a branch of one fastfood giant.

A pail contains approximately 17 liters of oil, and sometimes it’s not all oil. “Minsan may ulo pa ng isda,” said Tabares.

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FROM YOUR FRYING PAN TO YOUR CAR: Servant Community workers heat waste cooking oil to remove water then filter it to take off impurities. The resulting product is pure biodiesel (opposite page).

Old technology It was Del Rosario, a native of San Pablo, Laguna, who perfected the biodiesel brewing process. He was quick to say that he did not invent the technology, which he says has been widely available in the Internet.

“Home-brewing biodiesel has been practiced in other countries as a hobby of car enthusiasts for decades although it never really became popular because petroleum diesel has always been a lot cheaper than home-brewed diesel,” he explained.

Not until America launched the war on Iraq.

Before the US attacked Sadam Hussein’s lair, the price of crude

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oil was only $26 a barrel. Now, 18 months later, it’s $75 and still rising.

Del Rosario began experimenting on the chemical process of transesterification or the removal of contaminants in oil to make his Toyota Revo pass the smoke emission test. He was surprised that the vehicle, only two years old, already emitted black smoke and failed the mandatory test. He suspected that the problem probably lies on the poor quality of diesel in the market.

He surfed the Internet, then devised his own equipment and began testing it with used cooking oil in his home.

It worked.

Now, three years after experimenting with his Revo, he is already running a plant that produces 500 liters of biodiesel a day, negligible, you may say, considering the demand for cheaper fuel in the Philippines.

But he is working on a concept for a much bigger plant that could process 4,000 liters a day and will be set up, “God willing,” in Cagayan de Oro, Bukidnon, Cebu and Davao.

Not yet cheap SC Holdings’ biodiesel is sold at P50 a liter, expensive if you compare it with the P37 per liter cost of petroleum diesel. But it’s a lot cheaper compared to the P120 per liter of biodiesel that one big company is making from fresh coconut oil.

Tabares said the high price is due to the high cost of production, but he and Del Rosario are relying on economies of scale to bring their price down.

By their calculation, they expect to lower the price to the P37 per liter level once production reaches 4,000 liters a day.

“By that time, we believe the price of petrodiesel would have breached the P50 mark and biodiesel will then become very attractive especially to jeepney and bus drivers,” Tabares pointed out.

But sourcing out 4,000 liters of used cooking oil in Metro Manila is proving to be a major task. With this reality, Del Rosario and

Tabares are looking to the seeds of the nonedible shrub jatropha as a long-term source.

The two are now exploring ties with indigenous tribes in Mindanao called the Lumads who have expressed willingness to share their ancestral lands for the planting of jatropha.

“The only problem we have is capital,” Tabares said. “But we believe that if God wants us to build such a plant, He will provide the means.”

Blending biodiesel In the meantime, Del Rosario and Tabares are encouraging motorists to use their biodiesel not as a 100-percent fuel but as a blend to enjoy its economic and environmental benefits.

A blend of 10 percent biodiesel may not result in savings at the pump. On the contrary, it will even raise one’s fuel bill a bit.

For example, if one full tank of diesel is 60 liters and at P37 per liter of petrodiesel, one pays P2,220. If one reduces this by 10 percent, or six liters less, he will pay P1,998. Six liters of biodiesel will cost him P300, hence the total full tank of a 10percent biodiesel blended diesel (B10) for P2,298, or P70 (3 percent) higher than the original bill.

But according to Tabares, the 10 percent biodiesel blend will improve the mileage of the vehicle by at least 20 percent because the oxygenated biodiesel would make petroleum diesel easier to burn.

“The main cause of low mileage is unburned fuel,” said Tabares. “By making the fuel easier to burn, you get more kilometers from a liter of fuel and you solve the problem of pollution. You also extend the life of your engine and your engine oil, thereby saving on maintenance cost.”

SC Holdings also sells an additive that makes gasoline engines more efficient.

Doing it at home Will Del Rosario advise ordinary Filipinos to brew biodiesel right in their own kitchen?

“Why not?” he said. “Science is fascinating. They just have to observe safety precautions and these are all available on the Internet.”

Del Rosario explained that those new to biodiesel would readily feel the difference once they pour in one or two liters of the clean fuel and mix it with petroleum diesel.

“The effect is instant,” he said. “You’ll feel it in your accelerator pedal. Magaan itapak kasi the biodiesel is an excelent solvent.

Pinalalabnaw niya ang petroleum diesel.”

However, since biodiesel is a solvent, Del Rosario warns biodiesel owners to expect the possibility that their engine would stall. “Years of using petroleum diesel has left sediments in your car’s fuel line.

Lilinisin yun ng biodiesel and there is a big chance that your fuel filter would clog.

Madali lang naman ang solusyon dun.

Magpalit ka ng fuel filter.”

It’s even better, he advised, if from the beginning, one would drain the tank, clean it first with biodiesel and let the engine run on pure biodiesel while in the garage. “That way, tumirik ka man, nasa bahay ka lang,” he said.

Del Rosario, meanwhile, cautioned owners of new vehicles to check their warranty certificate first before using biodiesel. “We don’t want them to have warranty problems later on,” he said.

For those interested in homebrewing biodiesel, you can start off by checking the website www.journeytoforever.com.

August - September 2006

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The Alternatives CNG The Philippines has a natural gas well just off the coast of Palawan. Called Malampaya, it was a discovery of Shell Petroleum Exploration and now supplies compressed natural gas to various power plants in Luzon.

Case For: Natural gas can be used as transportation fuel. It is widely hailed as a clean-burning fuel, producing 90 percent less carbon monoxide and 60 percent less nitrogen oxides. It also produces about 30 to 40 percent carbon dioxide, making it cleaner than the air in some high-pollution areas.

Case Against: For a vehicle to carry enough CNG to travel a reasonable distance, the gas has to be compressed to 3000 to 3600 psi. At 3600 psi, CNG has about one-third as much energy as gasoline – about 44,000 BTU per unit volume – hence, the tank must be far larger, heavier and more expensive than conventional ones.

Outlook: Limited. Even though it is now available, CNG faces a limited future as gasoline and diesel. For one thing, like petroleum, it is nonrenewable. And it

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requires major retooling of both cars and fuel station structures. In spite of these challenges, Shell is now putting up CNG pumps in its South Luzon Expressway station to serve future CNG buses.

Ethanol Ethanol or ethyl alcohol is produced by fermenting carbohydrates, such as starch or sugar, that comes from sugarcane, corn, cassava, potatoes, and nipa. It is now being sold by at least two oil companies in the Philippines, namely Seaoil and Shell, as a 10percent blend to regular gasoline (E10). In other countries such as Brazil, an 85 percent ethanol blend (E85) is available in gas stations.

Case For: Ethanol is an excellent, cleanburning fuel, potentially providing more horsepower than gasoline. In fact, ethanol has a higher octane rating (over 100) and burns cooler than gasoline.

Case Against: Alcohol is a corrosive solvent. Anything exposed to ethanol must be made of corrosion-resistant (read: expensive) stainless steel or plastic – from fuel injection components to the tanks, pumps and hoses that dispense it as well as the tankers that deliver it.

Outlook: Hopeful. Modern cars can run on up to 20-percent ethanol blend without modification. The new ones, called flex-fuel vehicles, can run even on E85. This is the market being eyed by those investing in planting sugarcane right now and if things go the way they did in Brazil, there is hope for cheaper fuel in the near future.

Biodiesel Fuels for diesel engines made from nonpetroleum sources are known as biodiesel.

They come from sources such as coconut oil, palm oil, animal fat, and even used frying oil and grease found in sewers. When Rudolf Diesel, the inventor of the diesel engine, demonstrated his machine at the 1900 Paris World Exposition, he used peanut oil as fuel. Processing these oils into fuel involves removing glycerin and other contaminants which gum the fuel and can cause fuel lines to clog.

Case For: Today’s diesel engines can run on 100 percent biodiesel with little degradation in performance. And because biodiesel molecules are rich in oxygen, they are easier to burn. According to experts,

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hybrids and it’s just a matter of time.

Hydrogen

pure biodiesel produces 75 percent less carbon monoxide compared to petrodiesel.

If you use it as a blend, say 20 percent, it reduces CO by 15 percent.

Case Against: Pure biodiesel available today is expensive, mainly because it comes from expensive raw materials (coconut is still relatively expensive) and is being manufactured in relatively small amounts. Just like in any product, you need a certain economy of scale to lower the price.

Outlook: Good. Biodiesel has a very viable future in the Philippines especially with the discovery of jatropha cursas, an easyto-grow, maintenance-free shrub initially thought to have no commercial value (see Farming Fuel).

Hybrid Hybrid cars are those that run on electricity part of the time and on internalcombustion at other times. They show better promise than electric cars and are becoming more and more popular in other countries, particularly the United States. Their principle is simple: The cars have a large-capacity battery and a small gasoline engine.

When the cars are first started, they run on their gasoline engines which then charge the batteries.

Once the batteries are charged, they take over and the gasoline engines stop.

Case For: Hybrids seem to be bridging the gap between traditional cars and electric cars, and major manufacturers are looking at them as potential bestsellers. Toyota and Honda were the first to mass-produce hybrids, namely the Prius and the Insight, launched in 1997 and 1999, respectively.

They average more than 30 kilometers per liter of gasoline. Traditional cars such as the Honda Civic are now also available in the US in a hybrid version.

Case Against: The high sticker price and small size of most hybrids make them appealing and affordable only to the moneyed class who have the luxury of having more than one car in their garage.

Outlook: Good. Technology has an uncanny way of lowering prices. Cellphones used to cost a fortune. Same with computers. Manufacturers will eventually find a way to manufacture cheaper

Hydrogen is the most abundant element on the planet and is present in many chemical compounds. Pure hydrogen can be obtained from electrolysis – passing electricity through water. This liberates the oxygen, which can be used for many industrial purposes. However, most hydrogen currently available is made from petroleum.

Case For: Although hydrogen can fuel a modified internal combustion engine, most see it as a way to power fuel cells to move cars electrically. The only byproduct of a hydrogen fuel cell is water.

Case Against: Experts agree that hydrogen fuel cell cars will only be widely available at least 15 years from now.

Manufacturing and distribution systems still have to be developed. And despite the chemical simplicity of electrolysis (see article Dingle’s Folly), producing hydrogen is expensive and energy consuming. It takes about 17 kwh of electricity, which costs about P90, to make just 100 cu.ft. of hydrogen, enough to power a fuel cell vehicle for 30 kilometers.

Another concern is the cost of compressing hydrogen into the fuel tank of a vehicle. One option is freezing, but again it requires more energy to do so.

Outlook: Good—someday. Carmakers are deeply engaged in hydrogen research and nobody knows exactly what they can discover next.

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FUELING CHANGE: Glenn Yu of Seaoil promotes alternatives.

Combating Myths Seaoil battles misinformation to promote ethanol

H

is company is a small player in the petroleum industry. But ask Francis Glenn Yu, president and CEO of Seaoil, who his biggest competitor is and he will tell you that it’s not Petron, Shell or Caltex. It’s an imaginary company called Myth and its product is misinformation.

“Filipino motorists have so many myths when it comes to alternative fuels,” Yu lamented. “It’s very hard to convince them that alternative fuels are in fact good for their car.”

Seaoil is one of the small players in the industry leading the way in promoting alternative fuel. Its company slogan – Fuel The Change – is meant to fuel the change in mindset of motorists. Yu believes that once motorists see the value in alternative fuels such as the ethanol-blend E10, then business for Seaoil will definitely improve.

And it is indeed improving. Since they began selling E10 in August 2005, Seaoil has recorded more than 2 million fill-ups of the ethanol-blend fuel. Though having the same price as that of regular unleaded

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By JUNEP OCAMPO

gasoline, Yu said E10 is comparable in performance to super premium gasoline like Velocity and Blaze, which are at least P4 more expensive. And definitely, because E10 is composed of 10-percent biofuel, it is cleaner and cars that use it have less emission.

“People who have tried E10 really felt the difference. You only have to try it once and you will be convinced,” he said.

Wrong Ideas Yu observed that Filipinos have too many misconceptions when it comes to

fuel. In fact, he has found it convenient to carry with him a paper containing answers to frequently-asked-questions about ethanol. His list can be found on this page and most of the myths he enumerated may have come from the not-so-good experience that some Filipinos had with alcogas in the 1980s.

It would be recalled that the Philippines, under President Ferdinand Marcos, came up with an Alcogas Program that promoted the use of ethanol as gasoline replacement.

Due to insufficient knowledge, some Filipinos began loading up pure ethanol into their tanks, leading to engine stalling. This became a bad memory that Seaoil is now trying to erase.

Even the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines (CAMPI) maintains an extremely conservative stand on ethanol. During the AAP-sponsored Alternative Fuels Conference in May, a CAMPI official pointed out that using more than 10% of ethanol would endanger a car’s warranty. In reality, as Yu explained, any car can run to as high as 24% ethanol without modifications.

Apparentlly, the manufacturers just want to be on the safe side. “What they’re saying is, ‘Don’t do this at home.’ Technically kasi, you can make your own ethanol-blend fuel but if you do it by yourself, you risk of overblending. CAMPI doesn’t want to be

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E10 MYTHS MYTH: E10 makes engines run hotter.

FACT ACT:: The ethanol in E10 actually helps keep your engine cooler, since ethanol combusts at a lower temperature. In fact, racing engines use pure ethanol for that very reason.

blamed for anything that resulted from experimentation,” Yu said.

Lessons from Brazil Yu looks to Brazil as his model for promoting ethanol-blended fuel.

“Brazil started using ethanol-blends in the late 1970s, the same time that we began trying out alcogas.

But it never stopped. Now, ethanol provides more than 40% of Brazil’s fuel for transportation. Flex-fuel vehicles, or those capable of running on gasoline or ethanol, grew from less than 1% in 2001 to more than 70% of the new cars today,” he said. (See From Sugar To Fuel story) Yu believes the Philippines can follow Brazil’s example and achieve the same if the government will support initiatives such as the pending Biofuel Law. His company is now investing in its own ethanol plant that can make 100,000 liters a day. With this plant, Yu expects to lower the price of E10 by P1.50 to P2 per liter. At such price – and with the price of gasoline expected to breach P50 by year’s end – E10 would surely become attractive.

This early, Seaoil has partnered with motorists groups such as the AAP and the National Association of Filipino Offroaders (NASFOR) to promote E10 use in motorsports. The company is also embarking on a loyalty promo for its customers, with free fuel and a brand new car as prizes.

“Seaoil thrives in an environment like this,” said Yu, who recalls the oil crisis in 1978 when his parents put up Seaoil as an independent oil company. Prior to establishing Seaoil, the Yus were owners of a Filoil gas station at the corner of Taft Avenue and Cuneta Street in Pasay City. Being Chinese, Yu said their entire family believes that crisis brings opportunities and it has been in crises that Seaoil found opportunities to grow into what it is today.

“This crisis is not only a good opportunity for the economy. It is also a good opportunity for our environment,” he stressed.

MYTH: E10 is bad for fuel injectors.

FACT ACT:: E10 never fouls fuel injectors. On the contrary, ethanol keeps fuel injectors clean, thus helping improve engine performance. Ethanol also does not increase corrosion, nor harm any seals or valves because the gasoline is treated with corrosion inhibitors.

MYTH: E10 causes vapor lock.

FACT ACT:: Vapor lock is an obstruction to the flow of fuel due to the formation of bubbles in the gasoline. This usually occurs when a gasoline designed for winter is used in summer. We are in a tropical country so no need to worry.

MYTH: E10 clogs fuel lines.

FACT ACT:: When ethanol was first used, it was put into vehicles whose fuel systems had become varnished over the years. Ethanol cleaned the varnish and the sediments clogged the fuel lines. When the fuel system was cleaned, the problem was over. Today, gasoline detergents help keep fuel systems clean and, in most cases, ethanol is put in to clean fuel systems.

MYTH: E10 reduces gas mileage.

ACT:: Many variables affect fuel economy, including the state of your car FACT and how you drive. Most drivers using E10 even see an increase in fuel economy.

MYTH: Most auto mechanics tell people not to use E10.

FACT ACT:: A mechanic who advises people not to use E10 does not have the correct information. Unfortunately, there has been little information for mechanics on fuel formulation, so when a problem appears to be fuel related, mechanics immediately ask if E10 was used and blame it on the fuel.

MYTH: E10 can’t be used in older cars.

FACT ACT:: The formulation of gasoline has changed dramatically over the years without affecting older cars. Many older cars were designed to run on leaded gasoline. When lead was phased out, oil companies added chemicals to raise the octane rating and to replace the “lubrication” value of lead. The ethanol in E10 raises octane in gasoline by three points—and it does so using a natural, renewable additive that works well in older engines.

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Economax Fuel Catalyst: Savings By All Means Is it a filter? No. It is not a filter and it should not be used to replace a fuel filter.

Is it a fuel additive? No. It is a permanent fuel treatment system.

What kind of alteration will be needed if I decide to install it in my car? Economax is installed in the fuel line after fuel filter. There is absolutely no need for any alteration in any vehicle or engine.

Does it need any electricity or other source of power? No. It is a self-contained unit and requires no power or outside source of energy.

Will this device interfere with any electrical or mechanical operation of my car? Economax only reacts with fuel passing through the line and that’s it. It has nothing to do with any function of the engine.

How do I know its working? The most accurate method to check if the device is working is the comparison of old average fuel consumption with the new average, after the break-in period of the catalyst is completed. If you don’t have the pre-installation record of your vehicle’s fuel consumption, you can judge the effectiveness of Economax by improvement in pick up, power, cleaner engine oil and spark

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plugs, and smoother engine sound. If you were using hi-octane, you can easily switch to lower grade of fuel without compromise in performance and that is the most important indication that the product is working.

Why is it not pre-installed at factory by vehicle manufacturers? No vehicle manufacturer installs such an efficient product in their vehicles except for the vehicles that are meant for countries with strict pollution control regulations. Actually no car maker pre-installs any “after market product” no matter how good or effective it may be. A common example are rims, tires and stereo systems that are most lavishly replaced with “after market counterparts”.

Are there any side effects? There are absolutely no side effects either long-term or short-term.

How do I know I am saving?

Economax improves average mileage of a car with a tank capacity of 45 liters, from 10 kms to 12 kms (20%). Total improvement would be 90 kms (2 kms x 45 liters) per full tank and 9 liters of petrol are saved.You multiply that by the present cost of fuel and that’s your initial savings. A common misunderstanding is that people look at the

change in mileage that is only 2 kms and tend to ignore the overall effect. Besides fuel, other savings come from extended interval of service and tuning. Your car would not need replacement of spark plugs, engine oil, oil filter, for longer period and there will be no need for tuning for a very long period.

Are there any moving parts inside?

No. The catalyst reacts with fuel on contact and there is no movement inside the unit.

Does anything need replacement in this device? No. Economax works for 400,000 kms at its full potential and it is simply replaced after its active life.

Is there any warranty/guarantee? We provide 1500-km money back guarantee and one-year manufacturing defect warranty.

Does it work with diesel? Yes. It works as well on diesel as it works with petrol engine.

What are the long term benefits of Economax? Long-term benefits include longer life of engine, extended maintenance intervals, cleaner exhaust vents and pipes, lower emissions, and lesser need for engine tuning.

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Farming Fuel Indigenous shrub can turn RP into fuel exporting country

A

n indigenous shrub whose seeds are rich in oil may someday make the Philippines a fuel-exporting country.

Jatropha cursas, a drought-resistant and perennially available shrub known as “tuba-tuba” in Tagalog-speaking regions, is now being planted en masse in various parts of the country in what could be considered a gold-rush-like phenomenon brought about by the skyrocketing price of petroleum in the world market.

Rodolfo Noel “Jun” Lozada, president and CEO of Philippine Forest Corp.

(PhilForest), a new government-owned corporation tasked to propagate jatropha, said farmers are excited at the prospect of literally “growing” fuel right in their land.

“Jatropha can one day free us from importing oil for fuel,” said Lozada who operates under the Natural Resources Development Corp., the corporate arm of the Department of Natural Resources.

Lozada said they are fulfilling their

mandate in two stages, first by propagating jatropha via a large-scale production of seeds and seedlings, and second, by spearheading the processing of biodiesel in partnership with other state agencies or institutions, farmer groups, landowners and agribusiness enterprises.

To encourage active private sector participation, Lozada said PhilForest has been clothed with the power to distribute property and usufruct rights over public agricultural and forestlands, as well as provide support to beneficiaries of such lands.

Private parties can have access to idle government lands through a 25-year stewardship program in which the awardees will be required to commercially produce jatropha seeds. PhilForest is committed to buy all seeds.

Lozada is looking at a timetable of 10 to 12 years to develop jatropha plantations covering two million hectares.

“This amount of production will yield some 5.6 billion liters of oil a year,” he said.

How viable is it?

Jatropha has an economic life of 35 years and thrives well in marginal soil such as sandy, gravelly or saline. It is not affected by high temperature, needs little or no maintenance at all, and gro ws quickly. Its seeds, from which oil is extracted, can be h a rvested after a year.

Lozada said a hectare of land planted to 2,500 trees of jatropha would yield five tons of seeds, which, in turn, can produce 1,430 liters of crude or unprocessed oil that can be used directly to power low-RPM diesel engines such as hand tractors, water pumps and threshers.

He noted that even at a petroleum price of only $46 a barrel in the world market, investors are already assured of a 20percent return on investment in jatropha.

And this figure goes up steadily in the light of the worsening crisis in the Middle East, with petroleum now at $75 a barrel and is f o recast to re ach $100 by year’s end.

And oil is not the only thing one can get from jatropha. According to Lozada, the press cake from the processed seeds is a good fertilizer, and the sediment fro m t h e extracted oil can be used for soap making.

SEEDS OF HOPE: Three kilos of jatropha seeds can produce one liter of oil.

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Exclusive deals & discounts for AAP members AUTO PARTS & ACCESSORIES Alu-tech Systems International, Inc. Km. 21, West Service Road, WESPAC Compound, 10 Villonco St., Barrio Sucat Muntinlupa CityTel. no.: 842-4675 Tel. no.: 842-4675 Discounts: 10 % on aluminum alloy wheels design; 2 years warranty claim on manufacturer’s defect.

Auto-Focus Car Accessories (Cebu) F. Ramos Street, Cebu City Tel. no.: (063 32) 255-3307 Discount: 10% on car services; 10% - 30% on selected items Auto Wrap Design Service 3 A. Shenandoah, Townhouse South Green Park Village, Parañaque City Tel. no.: 822-4175 Discount: Non-Abrasive adhesive Auto Media Regular Price : P 170.00/sq. ft. Design For AAP Members : P 130.00/sq. ft.

Blade Auto Center 437 Market! Market! Mall, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig Tel. no.: 635-9911 Branches: Park Square 1, SM Southmall, Robinson’s Place Manila, SM City San Lazaro, Festival Supermall, SM Mall of Asia, Greenbelt 1 Discounts: 10 % on Blade Branded Products; 5 % on all other products

NACASI Marketing and Battery Services, Incorporated Rm. 10 Arroyo Bldg., Aguida St., Malate, Manila Tel. no.: 522-0683 Discounts: 10 % on Polymer Battery Doctor Product; (Free delivery for 5 orders and above); P 50.00 discount on Vehicle Battery product (on brands available in the store) Power Gadgets Marketing Corporation 7th Flr. Unit A. Big Orange Bldg., Edsa Monumento Caloocan City Tel. no.: 362-9593 Discount: 12 % for every purchase of Fuel Max and Super Fuel Max product. e C-lant T rading T ir Trading ire 7252 J. Victor St., Pio del Pilar Makati City Tel. no.: 759-3007 Discount: Tire Puncture Protection product, 4 tires each vehicle, Regular Price : P 1,600.00; For AAP Members : P 1,300.00 MG Infinity 2nd Flr., Main Bldg., SM North Edsa Tel. no.: 929-2594 Branches: SM Southmall; SM Fairview; SM Sucat; SM Cebu Discounts: 5 % on stereo and video accessories; 10 % on regular items; 12-15 % on selected items.

Economax TRUE VALUE Stores : Makati, Shangrila Edsa, Rockwell, Alabang & Cebu INSTALLATION / RETAIL OUTLETS : Initial D & Mayo Parts @ Evangelista St.; Garage Concept @ Kamuning Ext.; Bert Sta. Ana Competition Motors @ Congressional St. cor. Visayas Ave. Mobile no.: 0917-8236164 Discount: 18 % on Economax products market retail price

Filcarrozzeria Corporation PISCOR Compound A. Rodriguez Ave., Bgy. Manggahan Pasig City Tel. no.: 916-0578 Discounts: 15 % discount on all major painting services such as Wash Over, Panel Repair, Rust Proofing and Detailing Hyperparts Corporation No. 3 Edsa, Bangkal Makati City Tel. no.: 834-8836 Discounts: 5 % off on parts and labor for Mechanical, Electrical, and Aircon Repair and/ or installation; 5 % off on Body Kits and Mags; Free Gift Certificate for One (1) Car Wash on; a minimum purchase price of P 1,500.00 worth of labor and/or materials; Free oil change labor upon purchase of oils and filters; free preventive maintenance check-up M7 Service Center and Auto Supply 518 Banawe Ave., San Francisco Del Monte Q.C. Tel. no.: 743-4035 Branch: San Juan Discounts: 10 % on labor / service rendered; 10 % on rubber product with ply Mega Motion Auto Sales Corporation Corp. III (Car Exchange Center / Servitek) 1128 Pres. Quirino Ave., Ext. (Otis) Paco, Manila Tel. no.: 562-4560 Branches: Banawe; West Avenue Discounts: 10 % on service / labor rendered; 5% on car parts and accessories s Philippines Meguiar’ Meguiar’s 158 Kamias Ext., East Kamias, Quezon City Tel. no.: 436-8360 Branches: Shaw; Motortown; Malugay; Kamias; Teammeguiars Discount: 10 % on Meguiar’s consumer products and major services.

What’s the best car for you?

Gas Save 3 A. Shenandoah, Townhouse South Green Park Village, Parañaque City Tel.no.: 822-4175 Discounts: Gas Saver Device Reg. Price AAP Members Medium P 4,700.00 P 4,300.00 Large P 6,700.00 P 6,100.00 Jumbo P 9,700.00 P8,900.00 Free installation; 1 year warranty; 20-day money back guarantee if they fail Emission Test.

JVSP Marketing Corporation 31 Mindanao Ave., Q.C. Tel. no.: 455-1111 Branches: Banaue, Bansalangin, Commonwealth, Imus, Marcos Highway, Paco Discounts: 25 % on Outlast Super Premium, Maintenance Free, and Premium Batteries; 10% on Gulf oil products; 25% on Tyron FlatTyre product (exclusive) Lauan Industries, Inc. L. Ma. Guerrero St. corner, Monteverde Davao City Tel. no.: (063 82) 227-5470 Discounts: 5 % discount on car parts & accessories (cash purchase) * excluding tire, battery & lubes; Every single cash purchase of P3,000 and above free 1 small shaldan; Load plus product P2,650 discounted (Reg. Price P2,970)

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AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE CENTERS

Aimogo Incorporated #61Pasig Blvd., C-5 Road Bagong Ilog Pasig City Tel. no.: 672-2208 Branch: Mindanao, Q.C. Discounts: 50 % on all mechanical, electrical, and aircon works (labor only); 15 % on all other services including parts replacement; Free complete auto spa (detailing) for every car wash er or general repair.

CFG Cebu Banilad, Cebu City Services Discount: 10% on car repair & other Tel. no.: (063 32) 231-7157 Cruven Auto Specialist 44 1st Ave., Bgy. Bagong Lipunan Crame Cubao Q.C. Tel. no.: 727-7693 Discount: Free wheel alignment.

DM Autotronik, Co. 48C. F. P. Felix Ave., Cainta Tel. no.: 240-1198 Discount: 10 % on labor; 5 % on parts

Motech 216 Macarthur Highway, Pulongbulo, Angeles City Tel. no.: 655-6714 Branches: Cainta; Sucat; Fairview; San Fernando Discounts: 10 % on lubricants, car parts & accessories available in the shop; 15 % on labor Rapidé V alenzuela Valenzuela 227 Mac Arthur Highway Karuhatan Valenzuela Tel. no.: 291-8108 Discounts: 10 % on parts and labor and free check up and estimate (except change oil, battery and tires) StarBright Body Kits / Options Unlimited 96 Granada St., Brgy. Valencia Q.C. Tel. no.: 727-3669 Branches: Accessories Department: Nissan Balintawak; Commonwealth; Lipa Batangas; Pampanga; KIA Batangas; Chevrolet Alabang; Chevy Libis; Shaw; Hyundai Shaw / Goodyear P. Guevarra San Juan; Suzuki Shaw Discounts: 20 % on full wrap around body kit; 5 % on prizm hid; 10 % on selected accessories

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Branches: Robinson’s Galleria; Greenbelt 3 Discount: Free snow mountain dessert for every P 200.00 food purchase Oody’ s Xpr ess Oody’s Xpress 54 J.P. Rizal St. Project Q. C. Tel. no.: 911-1584 Branches: Market! Market! ; Glorietta-1; SM City Manila; SM City North Edsa; Robinson’s Ermita; Supercenter Valenzuela; Gateway Mall Discount: Free snow mountain dessert for every P 200.00 food purchase.

ENTER TAINMENT & LEISURE ENTERT Bigshot Billiards & KTV & Entertainment Bar Delta Bldg., West Ave., cor. Quezon Ave., Q. C. Tel. no.: 411-2328 Discounts: 10 % on food and beverage bill; 10% on billiard games Precision Certified Auto Center (PCAI) 2316 Aurora Blvd., (formerly Tramo St.,) Pasay City Tel. no.: 854-5038 Discounts: 10 % on parts & labor; free engine diagnosis service with the use of hi- scan equipment (for KIA vehicles) and free engine compression test check up for other vehicle models.

Kuya Mike Auto Fix Center Blk. 28 Lot 17 Hill Fernando Ave. (Tuazon) San Roque Marikina City Tel. no.: 682-6631 Discounts: 10 % discount on labor; 5 % on parts and P 2,000.00 discounted price on Wash over service.

SMOKE EMISSION TESTING CENTERS Boher Emission T est Center Test 526 Nueve de Pebrero St., Bgy. Addition Hills Mandaluyong City Tel. no.: 535-9431 Discounts: P 50.00 on Smoke Emission Test with the 25 participating centers Trinity Emission T est Center Test Quimpo Blvd., Davao City Tel. no.: (063 82) 226-8552 Discount: P50.00 & re-test for free.

LUBES & FUELS Ecotech 34 / F. Rufino Pacific Tower 6784 Ayala Ave., Makati City Tel. no.: 811-0000 Discount: 15% discount on all Eco-tech Products Space 25 Solutions Corp.

347-E A. Bonifacio Q. C. Tel. no.: 367-1793 Discounts: 10 % on Carbon-Ridding Cleaner / Accelerator; Air conditioners Fixing Treatment Speed Metal Engine Oil Veridium T echnology Corp.

Technology U 904 Prestige Tower, Emerald Ave., Ortigas Center Pasig City Tel. no.: 914-4225 Discounts: Conoco Syncon Fully Synthetic Oil

1/L 4/L

Reg. Price P 550.00 P 2,200.00

AAP Members P 462.50 P 1,850.00

1/L 4/L

Conoco Hydroclear Power D Reg. Price AAP Members P 400.00 P 330.00 P 1,600.00 P 1,320.00

Enchanted Kingdom San Lorenzo South, City of Santa Rosa, Laguna Tel. no.: 830-2111 Discount: 15 % on entrance Music Match Entertainment Bar Timog Avenue, Quezon City Tel. no.: 927-7051 Discounts: 10 % on food and beverage bill; 30 % on KTV rooms

FOOD AND DINING ADP Industries G/F, Eagle Court Condominium 26 Matalino St., Diliman Q.C. Tel. no.: 921-2121 Discounts: 10 % on Freixenet and Rene Barbier brands of wines; Free Chillout CD for every bottle of Rene Barbier purchase Basti’ s Br ew Cof fee Station Basti’s Brew Coffee Victoria Plaza, Davao City Tel. no.: (063 82) 222-6168 Discount: 10 % on all products.

Cabalen Restaurant 54 J.P. Rizal St. Project Q. C. Tel. no.: 911-1584 Branches: West Avenue; SM North Edsa; SM Megamall; Robinson’s Place Ermita; Glorietta-3; SM Manila; Harrison Plaza; Sta. Lucia East Grandmall; Robinson’s Pampanga Discounts: 10 % on food bill or 10 + 1 Free buffet Dencio’ s Kamayan, Inc. Dencio’s Bonifacio St., Davao City Tel. no.: (063 82) 224-3101 Discounts: Unlimited rice only on “Handog ng Dencio’s Meal”; Free bottomless softdrinks on all meal.

Dominos Pizza 170 Corazon de Jesus St., San Juan Manila Tel. no.: 725-4641 Branches: Shaw Boulevard; Makati; Kalayaan; Escolta; Alabang; Pasig Discount: 15 % for every pizza purchase Oody’ s Bar and Restaurant Oody’s 54 J.P. Rizal St. Project Q. C. .

Tel. no.: 911-1584

HOTELS & REST AURANTS RESTAURANTS Cebu Business Hotel Colon corner Junquera St., Metro Cebu City Tel. no.: (063 32) 255-6010 Discounts: 10 % discount on room accomodation based on tariff rates.

Cebu Midtown Hotel 20 Osmeña St., Cebu City Tel. no.: (063 32) 253-9711 Discounts: Discounted rates in hotel room accomodation for AAP members.

Century Plaza Hotel Century Plaza Commercial Complex, Juana Osmeña St., Cebu City Tel. no.: (063 32) 255-1697 Discount: 30 % discount on room accomodation.

Davao Imperial Hotel Doña Segunda Bldg., C. M. Recto Davao City Tel. no.: (063 82) 222-4930 Discount: 40 % discount on room published rates.

Eden Nature Park & Resort JFM Bldg., Juna Subd., Davao City Tel. no.: (063 82) 299-1020 Discounts: 20 % discount on room published rates; 5 % off on all food & beverage outlets Grand Men Seng Hotel Magallanes-Anda Sts., Davao City Tel. no.: (063 82) 221-9040 Discounts: 50 % discount on room accomodations

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Grand Regal Hotel Davao Km. 7 J.P. Laurel Lanang Davao City Tel. no.: (063 82) 235-0888 Discount: 5% discount on room published rates Golden Peak Hotel Gorordo Ave., corner N. Escario St., Cebu City Tel. no.: (032) 233-8111 Discount: 20 % discount hotels accomodations based on tariff rates Mango Park Hotel General Maxilom Ave., Cebu City Tel. no.: (063 32) 233-1511 Discount: 10 % discount on room accomodation.

Marco Polo Hotel Davao P.O. Box 81540 C.M. Recto St. Davao City Tel. no.: (063 82) 211-0888 Discounts: 50 % discount on room published rates; 15% on all food and beverage outlets Matabungkay Beach Resort & Hotel, Inc. Unit H. Garden Flr. LPL Towers, 112 Legaspi St., Legaspi Village Makati City Tel. no.: 751-6684 Discounts: 20 % on service availed (room accomodation) on cash; 10 % on credit card payment.

NS Royal Pensione Juana Osmeña St., Cebu City Tel. no.: (063 32) 254-5358 Discount: 10 % on room accomodation based on tariff rates.

La Vista Pansol Norville Subdivision Bgy. Pansol Calamba Laguna Tel. no.: 404-3598 Discounts: 20 % on room accomodation; 20 % on entrance fee Jacinta Pension House President Osmeña Blvd., Cebu City Tel. no.: (032) 254-3011 Discount: 25 % discount on room accomodation on its tariff rates HEAL TH AND FITNESS HEALTH

Pearl Farm Beach Resort G/F Damosa Bldg., Lanang Davao City Tel. no.: (063 82) 221-9979 5% discount on room promo rates; 15% on room published rates; 10% on all food and beverage outlets.

Oliva Spa Comm’l Unit # 7 Valencial Hills Valencia cor. N. Domingo Sts., Quezon City Tel. no.: 722-6214 Discounts: Massage with FREE Aroma Oil P300.00; 10% less on all services (massage excluded) & Special packages

Regency Inn Villa Abrielle, Davao City Tel. no.: (063 82) 222-5819 Discounts: AAP Members P 1,600.00 P 899.00 P 699.00

Pinnacle Healthpointe 2nd Flr., Juan Luan, Lifestyle Center Felina Park Place Eastwood City Libis Tel. no.: 438-1880 Discounts: 10 % on spa services; P 2,000.00 less on full and gym annual; membership fee and free 1 day on trial work-out

Published rate P 2,500 P 1,200 P 800

Robbinsdale Hotel 14 Araneta Ave., cor. Palanza St., Quezon City Tel. no.: 716-1262 25 % on room accomodation based on published rate; 10 % at Robbinsdale Hotel Coffee Shop with minimum purchase of P 500.00; 10 % on service availed at Mendez Body and Face, Facial Salon and Spa inside the hotel.

Humberto’ s Pension Humberto’s 311 Jose Palma Gil & P. Gomez Sts., Davao City Tel. no.: (063 82) 222-3831 Discounts: 10% discount on room published rates; 5 % on all food and beverage outlets Jack’ s Ridge Resort & Restaurant Corp.

Jack’s Shrine Hills, Matina Davao City Tel. no.: (063 82) 297-8831

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SERVICES

Discounts: 10% discount on food and beverage outlets only (total bill must exceed P 300.00).

Ace W ater Health and Spa Center Water Center,, Inc. 399 Del Monte Ave. (near corner Banaue St.) SFDM, Q. C. Tel. no.: 367-8041 Discounts: 10 % on spa services and free soup (maximum of 4 persons) HEAL TH PRODUCTS HEALTH Glo-Herbal T rading & Manufacturing Trading # 50 Midway St., Forest Hills Subd., Gulod Novaliches, Q.C. Tel. no.: 936-1594 Discounts: 25 % on all Glo-Herbal products.

SaniSpring – Maebas Enterprises # 60 Howmart Road., Baesa, Q.C Mobile no.: 0918-3001945 Discounts: 25 % on all SaniSpring water purifier products; free gift item for every ofany SaniSpring water purifier product.

Makro Link Philippines, Inc. 252 Senator Gil. J. Puyat Jr. Ave., Makati City Tel. no.: 822-4175 Discount: Package price of P 1,700.00 for hauling services.

Den Solutions Enterprises Suite 401A ITC Bldg., 337 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Makati City Tel. no.: 890-5787 Discount: 15 % on Accounting Softwares (Office Plus brand) Heel / Sew Quik Lower Ground Floor Bldg. A, SM Megamall Tel. no.633-1897 Discount: 10 % on Heel / Sew Quik service NEW PARTNERS: Makati Palace Hotel P. BurgosCorner Caceres Streets Makati City, Philippines Telephone: 899-0344 Discounts: 40 % discount on cash payment; 20% discount on non-cash payment on room accomodation based on published rate *inclusive of buffet breakfast Fer nando’ s Auto Supply Fernando’ nando’s 235 Shoe Ave., Sto Niño, Marikina City Tel. no.: 941-2244 Discount:1 free car freshener for every auto supply purchase bill of P1,000.00 Dada’ s Carwash Dada’s Hill Fernando Ave., (Tuazon) San Roque Marikina City Tel. 490-6032 Discount: 20 % on interior auto detailing and 5 + 1 free carwash service.

Disclaimer Partner-establishment agreement is limited to exclusive discounts and privileges to be extended to AAP members upon their voluntary availment of partner’s products and/or services.

AAP will not be held liable for any complaints against our partners and will not validate claims made by them of their products and services. *Discounts can be availed upon presentation of AAP membership card. For more information about AAP partner establishments, please visit: www.aaphilippines.org.

DRIVE

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