DOE pushes for faster electric vehicle rollout in Philippines

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Energy (DOE) is pushing for a faster rollout of electric vehicles (EVs) in the Philippines to help reduce the country's dependence on fossil fuels.

"The shift to EVs is expected to reduce the country’s dependence on imported fuel and to promote cleaner and energy-efficient transport technologies," DOE said in a statement.

DOE aims to roll out around 2,454, 200 EVs comprised of cars, tricycles and motorcycles, among others, to help save the environment and generate investments for a new industry by 2028.

The call is in support of the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act’s initiative of "creating an enabling environment for the development of the EV industry in the country," according to the energy department.

To promote the electrification of transport in the country, several types of EVs have also been given tax breaks under Executive Order No. 12 series of 2023 to mainstream their use among Filipinos.

The EO, however, did not include e-motorcycles in the tax breaks, which did not sit well with several stakeholders of the industry as motorcycles comprise the majority of motorists in the country.

According to Philippine Business for Environmental Stewardship Secretary General Felix Jose Vitangcol, the EO should be revised so Filipinos of different social classes can afford to shift to green technology amid the soaring prices of gasoline.

“Only more affluent Filipinos — indeed a limited segment of the population — can afford to buy four-wheel vehicles and hence enjoy these incentives... This is why the government must make these tax incentives more inclusive," Vitangcol said.

EO12 will be up for mandatory review eight months from now. It is expected that NEDA will recommend the amendment of the said Order to include e-motorcyles in the import tax incentives.