Manila Offers Loans to Convert Bus and Taxi Engines

The Philippine government said on Monday it would lend up to 1 billion pesos (US$22 million) to owners of taxis and buses to convert their diesel engines and cut their reliance on costly imported fuel.

Concerned about the political fallout from soaring inflation, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is trying to alleviate the impact on poor Filipinos from rising prices of fuel, food and other basic commodities.
“They can use (the money) to finance the engine conversion from diesel to liquefied petroleum gas, compressed natural gas and other alternative fuels,” Arroyo said at a launch for more environmentally friendly public vehicles.

Planet Ark