Marcos to DoE: Develop e-vehicle industry
Marcos to DoE: Develop e-vehicle industry
MANILA, Philippines: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the Department of Energy (DoE) and other concerned government agencies to develop the electric vehicle (EV) industry in the Philippines, Malacañang said Tuesday
Malacañang press briefer Daphne Paez said the President issued the directives during a sectoral meeting in Malacañang on Tuesday.
“In today’s sectoral meeting, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed the DoE and other concerned agencies to expedite the implementation of action plans and strategies to develop the electric vehicle industry with particular focus on the public transportation sector,” Paez said during the briefing.
Paez said Marcos also instructed the concerned agencies to work together to study the integration of the EV industry “so that we can strengthen the local manufacturing of electric vehicles and supporting battery charging mechanisms.”
“This is of course in order to encourage the electrification of the public transportation sector,” the Palace official said.
Paez said Marcos also directed Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla to focus on supporting the acquisition of electronic vehicles by commercial fleets, like government or private company cars and public transportation fleets,
“Because by focusing on the fleets, it will make battery charging and the maintenance simpler and more efficient,” she said.
“In order to support the adoption of the EVs, President Marcos also ordered the consolidation of financial schemes to make it easier for EV fleets to be acquired,” Paez added.
In October last year, Marcos said that the government aimed to increase the share of electric vehicles to 10 percent, or 50 percent by 2040.
He said the shift to electric vehicles was part of measures to uphold the country’s commitment under the Paris Agreement.
“Under this treaty, we pledged to a projected greenhouse gas emissions reduction and avoidance of 75 percent for 2020 to 2030 in agriculture, wastes, industry, transport, and energy,” Marcos said in his speech during the launch of the Dong Feng Motors in the Philippines held at Metrotent Convention Center in Ortigas last year.
“So, if we aim to fulfill our pledge to the Paris agreement, we need to boost the share of electric vehicles in the total projected vehicle fleet nationwide,” he added