3 Wheelers

[architect]

*Niky,

kitsons is a a First Quarter Storm veteran. Kaya bow ako jan.

*Kitsons,

Sorry for unintentionally revealing your age.

As for the outreach programs, the problem is most of them are done half-halfheartedly. In the programs that I have participated in, we make sure the top graduates are given projects or businesses that can hopefully become self-sustaining.

E.G. If we teach the participants to be barbers, we start a cooperative-type barbershop in their community. If we teach the participants how to sew, we set-up sewing shops where they can make their products, then we buy the products and sell them to wholesalers. It may not be much, and each program we do will certainly not change the world. But it is a start. More importantly, it changes the world of the beneficiaries. And that is what counts, especially from their perspective.

[ehnriko]

*kitsons,

Tricycles are what I would term in an oxymoronic way, moving shackles. They are shackles that tether the drivers to poverty. They only allow the drivers to survive on a daily basis but not to rise above poverty.

If the tricycle has functioned as a band-aid that stops the (daily) bleeding of the poor but not cure the wound, the kuliglig will function as a contaminated band-aid that may stop the daily bleeding but at the same time seriously infect the wound.

And I agree.

But the fact remains that this reality took place... it's still a manifestation that there is oversight or lack of vision in Government in terms of steering the direction of the local automotive industry to a more progressive - and prosperous path.

This quick fix do solve the problem to get from point A to point B. But it is also disempowering at the same time. You can't ride this and do some executive work at the same time. You can't drive this and close a big project once your partners see the car you drive... immediately, they think they can control you already because you are driving a P30K car - definitely - disempowering.

It's a quick fix alright that can be likened to a makeshift raft to keep one from being stuck in a deserted island. But of course, glorifying this should not be the aim or vision of this country.

We definitely need to enrich the imagination of the masses by encouraging government to push a more enthusiastic Local automotive industry development.

Doing so could result to less graphic designs allowed for passenger use jeepneys or buses or even tricycles. Making the public roads less of an eye sore than it already is.

Doing so could result to holding mileage races that mimics the X-prize in America. Encouraging Locals to build their own aerodynamic, ergonomic, power to weight efficient and well engineered contraptions to achieve super or hyper mileages - this will also encourage local technology immersion and a hands on feel for the university or secondary schools. Encouraging them to explore Hybrid alternative energies... allowing corporate sponsors to provide assistance in terms of materials and technology access to participants... Make it an annual event. Make the race from Batanes to Davao or something.

The problem with this country... too many hidden political agendas are placed in front before real patriotism. This is really an enthusiasm killer...

But yes - I do agree with what you have stated. I guess what we really need is an Enthusiasm drive.

[ghosthunter]

The problem with this country... too many hidden political agendas are placed in front before real patriotism. This is really an enthusiasm killer...

But yes - I do agree with what you have stated. I guess what we really need is an Enthusiasm drive.

Nope. We don't need more enthusiasm. We need people earning more for their time. What can the people do with enthusiasm when they are simply barely getting by with the incomes for their daily needs?

If the people are too busy trying to make ends meet, they surely do not have time to venture into hybrid energies, hypermiling nor into x-prize contests.

In the end, you have to pick and choose what "battle" you want to fight. If you want to fight poverty, go ahead. If you want to fight for local technology improvement, go in that direction. It is best NOT to mix the two if you want to make significant gains on the goals. And who knows, if you do achieve your goals, it might actually help the problems get solved as well.

[OyiL]

What can the people do with enthusiasm when they are simply barely getting by with the incomes for their daily needs?

True enthusiasm burns deep inside. Nothing can stop it, even one's personal health cannot get in the way.

[jpdm]

True enthusiasm burns deep inside. Nothing can stop it, even one's personal health cannot get in the way.

very very true.

and ehnriko is correct.

I say, a no-nonsense and determined effort to develop our own local auto industry ( integrate, standardized, improve and develop local auto fabrication capabilities) is one of the most crucial industrialization and anti-poverty programs that the government can pursue. Of course in the short term the idea of producing a 100% Pinoy brand should not be the goal. Improvement of locally made vehicles like jeepney,tricycles and other three-wheelers and maximize the fabrication and use (produce "national generic parts" like chassis, body, underchassis parts etc.) of quality local parts and local employment should be the goals..

[kitsons]

*Niky,

kitsons is a a First Quarter Storm veteran. Kaya bow ako jan.

*Kitsons,

Sorry for unintentionally revealing your age.

As for the outreach programs, the problem is most of them are done half-halfheartedly. In the programs that I have participated in, we make sure the top graduates are given projects or businesses that can hopefully become self-sustaining.

E.G. If we teach the participants to be barbers, we start a cooperative-type barbershop in their community. If we teach the participants how to sew, we set-up sewing shops where they can make their products, then we buy the products and sell them to wholesalers. It may not be much, and each program we do will certainly not change the world. But it is a start. More importantly, it changes the world of the beneficiaries. And that is what counts, especially from their perspective.

You are dealing with the economic strata mobile intelligentsia that in most probability will not desire to go for the kuliglig.

I remember the priest name, Fr. Ben Carreon SVD, who actually is more realistic in looking at the situation since he have had a lot of heart aches in his desire to ameliorate the living condition of the poor.

He gave the starting idea on how to work with the poor with their set minds on how they live their lives, especially as concern their livelihood.

Only those who come from a line of barbers and has the aptitude can become barbers within the cooperative. Human resources have to be categorized as per what is there already and not try to mold the poeple to our view of what they could be or should be to attain development.

I definitely agree with you that the poor cannot come up with the proper economic resources to set up their own businesses but perhaps the view should be more holistic.

In Alabang getting a haircut is now down to just P25 per haircut. There is the need to match aptitude with economic demand for the goods and services that those aptitude can be applied.

Your vision of reactivating small auto repair shops is sure one good way of applying aptitude to demand if we can get our own vehicles rolling.

Disclosure of age is no problem as some one said that aging with wisdom comes with no regret but fulfillment. Seems all of us here in this forum is getting there and most probably die with a smile on the face... left to the discretion of everyone why the smile!

[kitsons]

Oldie ka pala, kitsons? UP ba (UPD boy here...)?

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The problem with the tricycle is the economics of it... whether you can earn enough from running a daily route to cover the cost of fuel, maintenance and monthly amortization. And given that, in some cases, there isn't a big enough customer base to support a tricycle service, while in others, service areas are oversaturated, we've got a huge problem... too many tricycles, too few passengers.

One of the ways to get around this is to figure out ways to open up new markets, or to divert all that economic activity in some other direction, to ease up competition and make the lines more profitable. Government intervention is necessary in order to limit franchises to what each route will hold.

Another way is to find an alternative that either costs less, or costs less to run. On the first criteria... well... there really isn't anything cheaper than a tricycle... except maybe a scooter-based tricycle... with a more efficient and smaller engine and a cheaper entry price... on the second criteria... we have the choice of electric (with its relatively high entry costs), LPG (entry cost still high, but adaptable to existing vehicle and refueling infrastructure) and diesel or biodiesel (though we lack a source of diesel engines in the proper size).

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The problem, I feel, is not that people don't want to improve their lot in life (though there is an attitude of that amongst metro slum dwellers who have come to rely on relatives and friends for support, many provincial and even urban poor do work hard to maintain their lot in life), but that economic and educational opportunities are scarce. You can teach people to drive, but you can't give them all jeepneys/trikes. You can teach them to be mechanics, or seamstresses or weavers, but we have lots of those, already, also. What's needed, really, is a targeted livelihood program that can identify unserved needs in the community and train exactly enough people in each community to fill those needs.

I believe there are programs like that in place, actually... and in our school system, we have participated in a few of these programs... but it's like spitting into a typhoon... with the enormous shortfalls of our educational sector, which can barely provide even basic education to our people (I spent a year teaching in a public school... it was pretty depressing... and this was a metro school, to boot, with better funding than many provincial schools), it can sometimes feel hopeless.

In a way you are right a big majority do not want to improve their lot in life.

Studies have shown that too much of a majority of Filipinos have lost hope even in hope in themselves that made such fatalistic non-progressive mentality.

Having been a public school teacher has show you the situation in which why these guys cannot get out of the cyclical pverty they are shackled in by our societal system.

There is way though to be able to economically empower the vast majority of of our Filipino population that presently are impoverished.

As mentioned about having more than one way to skin a cat and that subsidiarity can be an alternative, advocating for subsidiarity among the people may be key to a solution to address our three major problems in Philippine Society: poverty, corruption and ecological degradation.

This guys know what their common needs are and focusing on this felt need, they can be helped to consolidate their meager resources and utilize them towards a feasible economize activity.

One of the reason of my involvement with our private forum here is that these feasible economic activities would be in need of affordable modes of transport for people and goods.

As per Architect's vision even the overall economic activities involved in coming up with our own vehicles with after sales service also benefiting the small auto repair shops, the outlook seems holistic enough to be feasible.

[kitsons]

True enthusiasm burns deep inside. Nothing can stop it, even one's personal health cannot get in the way.

Want dampens enthusiasm for most except for the truly gifted who mostly are eccentric. Those with enthusiasm need nurture and mayber that's why we are all here in this forum.

[kitsons]

Haaay kitson, that is exactly why some people accuse the Catholic Church of keeping the poor poor. It is not coincidental that practically all of the followers of TV evangelists and cults are poor, half-educated mis-informed people.

If I weren't raised Catholic I doubt very much if I would convert to Catholicism. But since I believe there is but one God, it does not really matter which religion I believe in. But before you debate me on religion, let's just focus on 3-wheelers instead to keep the peace, okay?

Better yet, let's eb again. I do miss your sharp rebuttals on all sorts of topics. My treat, of course. After all, you are my favorite First Quarter Storm activist veteran.

Will call you on that. Been wanting to EB also on situationer where we are at this point.

Have been at AMICI past couple of Saturdays and will be there again November 6. Whole day affair though. Rewlly interested in having rthe alternative jeep for tertiary road use going.

I'm now eyeing to set up coop for transport group who can build the tricycle wheel base configured utility vehicle both for cargo and commuter transport.An EB can give better perspective on how to go about organizing the coop.

Just say when except Saturdays, starting Nov. 7 to Dec 19. My sched is presently quite flexible.

[OyiL]

Want dampens enthusiasm for most except for the truly gifted who mostly are eccentric. Those with enthusiasm need nurture and mayber that's why we are all here in this forum.

This forum....in a way....is one of our outlets for the "True Enthusiasm" each person lurking here have. Hindi na ma-contain ng real word, or may hadlang para gawin ito sa real world kaya dito lumalabas.

kaya nga lahat ng tao na nagpopost dito ay meron nyan. iba-iba nga lang ang direksyon kaya minsan nagbabanggaan. and the heated exchanges show how much it is burning inside of that individual. everybody needs to realize this...malakas na energy ito. hindi titigil. put together in a complementing process with 1 ultimate goal = success.