In fulfillment of the University’s commitment to building a community of leaders, scholars, and researchers that actively participate in improving the quality of life in Philippine society within the perspective of Christian ideals and values, the DLSU Eco Car Team once again unveiled its new set of cars that it will present in the Shell Eco-marathon Asia at Changi Exhibition Centre in Singapore from March 8-11.
The respective cars were named Bumakaya, a Latin term which means “one loud roar” and Imakadiwa which translates to “relentless warrior” respectively. The team shares that it reflects their contribution to a better and brighter future, highlighting the Lasallian spirit.
Dr. Robert Roleda, the University’s Chancellor, conveys in his opening remarks that this project not only produces more energy efficient cars and provides students with opportunities to compare their skills with students from all over the world, but also puts the University in the forefront of coming up with world class education.
Further to the program, Mr. James Deakin, a renowned CNN Journalist, gave a short talk on sustainability, sharing that the automotive industry is going through another revolution and a new era by electrifying cars, new concept cars, and new personal mobility, to name a few. “Everyone has an even chance to make a name for themselves. This project is a step towards solving traffic, [as] it helps the environment,” he adds.
Faced with the question of this year’s distinction from other years’ respective University launches, Mico Flores and Tim Ladica, team managers for the mechanical team, conveys that the Lasallian community should expect a new set of cars, but the same set of winners. They will be featuring a battery-electric and an internal combustion engine. “This year’s University Launch (U Launch) will be way different from the previous U Launch since we are launching two new cars. These cars are improved, well-thought of, engineered to bring ultra-efficiency,” they shared in a joint interview.
On the other hand, Christian Bien Lim, a member of the structural team, shares his experience on being a part of building Bumakaya and Imakadiwa. “It is the one of the most [labor-intensive] tasks. [I], along with the Carbon Fiber Squad, [endured] long tireless nights brought about by the hectic process [of] making huge carbon fiber components. Nonetheless, after a couple of hours, once the component [was] done, we [were] greeted by either the amazement of an amazing lightweight glossy masterpiece or a patchy unacceptable [garbage]; wherein we rinse and repeat,” he illustrates.
Lim also shares that making the car structure was filled with bittersweet emotions especially during the outskirts of the process. “It was a circus of emotions. Sometimes you want to laugh, cry, have a good long sleep, or even quit; this isn’t a rabbit we pulled out of the box, it’s a car we made out of our very own blood, sweat, and tears. However, all this is overshadowed by the end result once the car [was assembled] and running. Although it isn’t perfect, I’m proud of what we made and I’m more motivated to work on the car more than ever. I love my team and I wouldn’t trade it for any other,” he conveys.
On creating the project
Meanwhile, on the program proper itself, Natasha Ebora, the project head of the U Launch, shares her experience in leading the events team. “Being first timers in handling an event, we really had no idea what to do. We were also new to the team so we don’t know much yet at that time. I really felt the pressure when I realized how big this event was going to be since we are presenting the cars to the whole university and to our sponsors. In addition, it was very challenging to plan for what’s going to happen in the event since this was the first time in a few years that the team would have a launching event for the cars,” she shares.
Moreover, Ebora emphasizes her gratefulness for the opportunity and trust that was given to her by the DLSU Eco Car Team themselves. “I think the most memorable part of leading this event was getting to know the members and seeing how passionate they are for these cars. The mechanical and electrical team really invested their time and effort into making these fuel-efficient cars in order to become globally competitive. This became my motivation, along with the management team, to make the University Launch of Bumakaya and Imakadiwa a success. However, the success of this event wouldn’t be possible without the camaraderie and teamwork of everyone in the team,” she says.
The said event was sponsored by Akari, Benquin, Cebu Pacific, Dyna Drug, NuevoChem Specialities, Pilfran, TNJ Foam Tech, and WYR Electronics, respectively.
