There is a new king of the road, and it can navigate the waters too!
TOAD (Tactical Operative Amphibious Drive) closely resembles a jeepney in appearance, but it is actually an amphibuous vehicle designed for rescue operations during the onslaught of disasters.
The vehicle is a joint project of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Batangas State University (BatStateU). Priced at PHP1.4 million, TOAD is still considerably cheaper when compared to other rescue vehicles available in the market today.
“Anyone who can drive an owner-type jeep can drive [TOAD],” BatStateU president and project leader Dr. Tirso Ronquillo told Inquirer.
TOAD’s body is made from stainless steel and aluminum. It is equipped with a global positioning system (GPS) to make it easier to track.
The project was started in Aug 2014 and was successfully completed in Dec 2015.
During a 15- minute demonstration on Feb 4, a prototype was able to successfully sail through Taal Lake in Batangas.
The project will soon go into it’s second phase which could feature the use of a hybrid engine and a bigger seating capacity.
