According to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), vehicle emissions account for 69% of air pollution in the Philippines, 90% of which come from Metro Manila alone.
In a bid to increase the purchase and use of electric vehicles in the country, the government is planning to give incentives to buyers and manufacturers of EVs. During the Toyota Hybrid Electric Technology Conference, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) undersecretary Rafaelita Aldaba presented the current state of EVs in the Philippines. She also discussed the existing government EV policies and programs, and gave an overview of possible future incentives for manufacturers and consumers.
In case you didn’t know, through Executive Order No. 488, zero tariffs are imposed on components and parts used for the assembly of hybrid, electric, flexible-fuel, and compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles. The Board of Investments also plans to give manufacturers of EVs and operators of charging stations an income tax holiday.
Meanwhile, the Department of Energy E-Trike Project plans to roll out 100 e-trikes nationwide to replace traditional gasoline-fed tricycles.
Other House and Senate bills include excise duty exemption and value added tax (VAT) exemption for raw materials, parts, and capital equipment used for EV manufacture. Priority in public utility vehicle (PUV) franchise application will also be provided. Buyers of hybrid and electric vehicles, too, will be given priority in registration as well as issuance of license plates. What’s more, hybrid and electric vehicles could be exempted from the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program (coding) and be allotted free parking spaces.
The automotive industry is also working together with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to finalize the regulations for electric vehicles. So, are you tempted to get a hybrid car now?
