Iloilo City, Futran inks MOU for establishment of podcars transport system
By Remegio G. Castor
The future of transportation is coming to Iloilo City.
Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas together with Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon and City Councilor Sedfrey Cabaluna, chair of the City Council’s transportation committee, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Futran Philippines Inc. President Jose Christopher Fornier II for a feasibility study on the establishment of an environment-friendly mass transport system using podcars in the city and neighboring municipalities.
The MOU signing held last January 30, 2024 was witnessed by all the Iloilo City Councilors.
The project, that will cost around PHP 16 billion, will cover 20 kilometers of transportation line for suspended podcars traversing Iloilo City and neighboring towns.
Podcars, also known as personal rapid transit, is a mode of public transport featuring small low-capacity automated vehicles operating on a network of specially built guideways.
Fornier presented the project proposal to Mayor Treñas last year.
“As the Mayor of the City of Love, I am thrilled to announce that Futran Philippines, Inc. has presented an exciting proposal that could revolutionize transportation in our city! With the potential implementation of podcars, we can finally bid farewell to the frustrating traffic and usher in a new era of sustainable commuting,” Treñas then announced following the project presentation.
Initial information obtained from company source said that the podcars transport system in Iloilo City will cover 20 kilometers and could be extended to the neighboring towns of Pavia, Oton, Leganes and San Miguel.
Iloilo City will be the among the first three cities in the country to benefit from the podcars transport system through Public-Private Partnership. The other two cities that accepted the project were Mandaue City, Cebu province and Ilagan City, Isabela.
The podcars transport system has been proven to be safe for passengers based on the countries that use this system such as Germany, Japan, and China.
The Philippines is the first in Souteast Asia to adopt the modern environment-friendly transportation.
The company ensures that its products are safe and reliable as it is under the approval of Germany’s TUV Rheinland, the world’s recognized technical service provider and certification body.
The proposed transport system will not disturb the usual road activities in the city, citing the company’s modern transport technology that is going to be above ground.
