By Darryl John Esguerra | Philippine News Agency
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. directed the Department of Energy (DOE) and other relevant government agencies to expedite the implementation of action plans and strategies to develop the electric vehicle (EV) industry.
Marcos issued the directive in a sectoral meeting at Malacañang on Tuesday, DOE Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella said.
Fuentebella said President Marcos wants the government to focus on the integration of the e-vehicles into the public transportation sector to accelerate the shift from the traditional motor vehicle models to EVs.
“We are not only looking into the technology but the President also wants us to focus on achieving the numbers by looking at fleet or the group approach, looking at the consumer experience, and identifying iyong mga bumubukol na financing,” he said in a Palace press briefing.
As of 2023, out of the over 14.3 million registered vehicles, only .001% or some 7,000 are e-vehicles, Fuentebella said.
He said the government, through the Comprehensive Comprehensive Roadmap for Electric Vehicle Industry (CREVI) anchored on Republic Act 11697 or the EV Industry Development Act, is looking to improve this figure and have EVs makeup at least 50% of vehicles on the country’s roads by 2040.
In line with this, Marcos ordered the acquisition of e-vehicles by commercial fleets like government or private company cars and public transportation fleets, and to consolidate possible financial schemes for the purchase of EV fleets.
The President is also looking to strengthen local manufacturing of EVs and supporting battery charging mechanisms, through collaborations with the private sector.
Perks for EVs
Fuentebella said among the advantages of EVs include the lower maintenance and operation costs, and cleaner gas emissions.
To encourage the public to embrace the shift to EVs, he said the government is implementing “incentives” such as the reduction or suspension of import tariffs; priority registration at the Land Transportation Office; priority processing of franchise to operate at the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board; exemption from the number coding scheme; and the identification of ‘green lanes’ or EV lanes.
He said the government is also developing a community driven navigation app for EV users to make it more enticing, especially to the younger generation.
10% EVs for govt
The President also ordered the integration of EVs into the government agencies’ vehicle composition, “targeting 10 percent of the fleet should be electric vehicles,” Fuentebella said.
“Meron siyang pinasang inter-agency na led by the Department of Energy, and nandoon din iyong DBM (Department of Budget and Management) para maayos iyong procurement niya at para mag-comply. So when the President was looking into that, there was a thumbs up from DBM Secretary Amenah (Pangandaman) na it’s already in place,” Fuentebella added.
