If you’re one of those people who think we need more electric vehicles in the country—specifically in Metro Manila—then get a load of this: an ‘Electric Vehicles and Charging Station Act’ has now been filed in the Senate.
Senator Win Gatchalian, one of the listed authors of the bill and chair of the Senate Energy Committee, says this may help reduce oil consumption in the Philippines by as much as 146.56 million barrels per year, if implemented correctly. This will result in P490 billion in annual savings.
“The bill we are sponsoring today will increase accessibility and economic viability of a key emerging technology which will help the Philippines meet its emissions reduction goals: the electric vehicle, or EV,” said Gatchalian. “Essentially, this bill is good for the environment and good for our wallets, too.”
Under Senate Bill No. 1382, a Comprehensive Roadmap for Electric Vehicles (CREV) will be developed through the Department of Energy (DOE). This will help speed up the electrification of transport in the country focusing on four core aspects, namely: electric vehicles and charging stations, manufacturing, research and development, and human resource development. The agency will also be the one tasked to update the CREV every year.
The bill will also require private and public buildings and establishments to designate parking slots with charging stations, as well as gasoline stations to have a dedicated charging area. You may recall these same provisions were included in the initial bill that Gatchalian filed last year.
In addition, corporate and government entities will be mandated to have EVs in their fleets. To be exact, these EVs should amount to 5% of the total fleet—this should be accomplished within the timeframe indicated in the CREV.
The Department of Trade and Industry will also be required to create and implement an incentive EV strategy as part of the CREV, and it will aim to enable the shift of the local automotive industry to EVs as well as to set local production targets that should be achieved within seven years of implementation of the said strategy.
There are also a number of fiscal and non-fiscal incentives included in the bill, including the nine-year tax exemption (excise, duties, and value-added) for the “importation of completely built units of EVs and charging stations.” If you want to see the entire document for yourself, click here.
So, what do you think of this new push for EVs in the Philippines? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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Source: Top Gear Philippines
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