Honda's 1'M Blue eco-safe driving campaign takes off

MANILA, Philippines - “Lubak ka ba? Patalon-talon kasi ang puso ko pag kasama ka, eh,” said Asec. Dante Lantin of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) in his candid opening statement at the 1’M Blue Eco Safe Driving Campaign launch, held at the Ayala Museum last Monday, July 30.

It was a rather fun way to break the ice and capture the full attention of his audience during an otherwise serious forum involving a series of discussions about the state of the country when it comes to the subject of Climate Change, and a multi-sectoral movement that is being proposed to be part of the solution.

This Eco-Safe Driving Movement, read as the catchphrase “I’m Blue” is basically a drive to train 1 million Filipino drivers in eco-safe driving. The movement echoes Honda’s long-established environmental battle cry Blue Skies for our Children! Hence, the project moniker: 1’M Blue.

“Blue Skies for our children is the driving force in all of Honda’s environmental efforts since the 1970’s,” said Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) President and General Manager Tatsuya Natsume during his opening message at the event. “It represents Honda’s commitment to realize the joy and freedom of mobility, and a sustainable society where people can enjoy life,” he continued.

Back in 2010, the Honda Foundation already embarked on an Eco-Safe Driving and Clean Fleet Management Program, implemented through partnerships with the Philippine Business for the Environment (PBE), Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities (CAI-Asia), and the Department of Energy (DOE). The program focused on eco-safe driving lessons that were derived from the Clean Fleet Management Toolkit developed by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). It provided both classroom and hands-on training to more than 400 administrative and fleet personnel from 43 government agencies, and to over 200 individuals from private companies.

However, Bonar Laureto, Executive Director of the PBE, explained that “If we continue using the old model (of doing seminars with small groups), it will take us 15 years to reach a million drivers! We have got to change gears! This is how 1’M Blue was born.”

Sec. Mary Ann Lucille Sering - Climate Change Commission, Vice-Chair (Program Convenor)

“Our team has now gone bigger and better with 12 organizations from the private sector, government, civil society and media who are now convenors of the 1’M Blue eco-safe driving program,” revealed HCPI’s Natsume. New partners are the Climate Change Commission, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), PAC Fleet Solutions, Honda Safety Driving Center, and GMA Network.

The 1’M Blue campaign is comprised of 4 main components: a video component that will consist of 13 30-second instructional videos demonstrating eco-safe driving techniques that will be shown in LTO offices, partner cinemas, and aired on TV via GMA; a social networking component that will consist of instructional videos and articles explaining eco-safe driving techniques and the concept of climate change, to the online community; driver-training seminars from PAC Fleet Solutions and the Honda Safety Driving Center, where professional 1’M Blue instructors will conduct both public and private eco-safe driving seminars all over the country; and Clean Fleet management, where 1’M Blue can assist companies improve their fleets’ overall fuel-efficiency.

Furthermore, all the speakers at the 1’M launch event were extremely inspiring, as they pointed out three main motivations for the public to go green (or should we say blue?): to address climate change; to improve respiratory health via cleaner air; and most popularly, to help the pocket, via reduced fuel expenses.

There is so much to say about climate change and its ill effects on our country, health and economics, that this space would certainly not suffice. Instead, we leave you with a few practical points to ponder on: Did you know that for every liter of gas consumed, 2.4 kgs of CO2 (carbon dioxide) is released into the atmosphere? And that every liter of diesel yields 2.6 kgs? So a typical car that travels 25 kms a day (averaging at 9 km/L) would have released one metric ton of CO2 over a period of just five months!

“I am sincerely proud of Honda’s legacy in blue skies for our children, but I also want to tell you that we need you to be on board,” persuaded Natsume. “We need you to help us spread the word about eco-safe driving,” he said with much heart.

For more information, contact the 1’M Blue Secretariat at [email protected] or (02)635-3670.