State-run Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) signed a memorandum of agreement with Japan-based Zenmov Inc. and Philippines-based MC Metro Transport Operation Inc. for a demonstration of an energy-efficient and smart public transportation system in New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac and the Clark Special Economic Zone in Pampanga.
“Smart mobility plays an important role in our commitment to transforming our developments into green, sustainable, and inclusive cities. Learning from global experts in smart city development, like our partners from Japan, we can integrate smart and innovative technologies in our developments, like those of Zenmov, which in the long run will improve the quality of life of the people residing and working in BCDA developments,” said BCDA president and chief executive Joshua Bingcang.
The two-year demonstration project will pilot test a new public transportation system called Primary Rapid Transit, a “last mile” service, in select routes in New Clark City, Clark Freeport Zone, and Clark Civil Aviation Complex using smart mobility operation cloud (SMOC).
Zenmov will measure and verify the effectiveness of the public transport service system using the app. The Japanese IT firm aims to maximize operational availability of the transport system by managing a dispatch system based on travel demand data, while keeping the number of vehicles at a minimum.
The New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) tasked Zenmov to implement the smart mobility demonstration program as part of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between the research company and BCDA in January 2023.
Zenmov and MC Metro will deploy low-carbon electric vehicles and bikes as well as install smart poles, drones, and charging stations, among others, for real time data collection and dissemination on traffic management, to support the SMOC application.
Zenmov will provide BCDA a final report containing its findings, evaluation and recommendations, which will include traffic demand analysis, operation feasibility of smart mobility system, quantitative analysis of reduction in greenhouse emissions, among others.
BCDA and development partners are employing green measures for the NCC like the use of renewable energy, promotion of active mobility, biodiversity conservation and the designation of about 60 percent of total land area at the NCC for parks, green spaces and water bodies on top of creating smart mobility systems.