The Department of Science and Technology (DoST) on Tuesday urged local government units to adopt electric tricycles as global oil prices surge due to escalating tensions in the Middle East.

Science Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. highlighted the potential impact of transitioning the country’s vast number of tricycles to electric power during an interview at the Luzon Regional Scientific Meeting in Alabang.

“What we are promoting now, through the local government, is the use of electric tricycles, because there are so many tricycles in the entire Philippines,” Solidum said.

However, the secretary stressed that the shift requires a robust infrastructure of solar-powered charging stations. He noted that a spinoff from the University of the Philippines has developed technology allowing a tricycle to charge in 30 minutes.

“They won’t feel the problem with gasoline if their charging is based on solar,” he said.

The DoST is also looking toward larger-scale transportation, with plans to convert aging passenger buses into electric vehicles. This follows the department’s successful development of electric jeepneys and ferries.

Beyond vehicle electrification, Solidum said the agency is collaborating with the Department of Energy on hydrogen fuel research. Scientists are currently testing various materials for fuel cell membranes and investigating the natural production of hydrogen gas through mineral oxidation in certain rock formations.

These studies are being conducted through the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute.

The agency is also promoting renewable energy for rural infrastructure.

Solidum said the DoST can assist small enterprises with solar-powered irrigation and water purification, including desalination systems, to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

Jaime Montoya, president of the National Academy of Science and Technology Philippines, echoed the need for innovation to achieve energy independence.

“We are looking at renewable energy. How can we produce, sustain, and help reduce our dependence on imported fuel,” Montoya said.