Incumbent President Rodrigo Duterte just signed Republic Act No. 11697 which regulates and develops the Philippines’ electric vehicle (EV) industry. But are we really ready for it?
If everything goes according to plan, the Philippines will soon have 20,000 electric vehicles traversing its streets.
This was after incumbent President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law the Republic Act (RA) 11697 (a Comprehensive Roadmap for the Electric Vehicle Industry) which seeks to accelerate the development, commercialisation, and utilisation of electric vehicles (EVs) in the country.
Signed last April 15, 2022, the measure promises to cut fuel use by over 145 million litres or an equivalent of PHP 8 billion in terms of fuel costs.
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How It Works
The country's cargo logistics, food delivery companies (i.e. Grab, Food Panda, etc.), tour agencies, hotels, power, and water utilities were given a 5 per cent EV quota for their vehicle fleets. The businesses that fall under these industries may deploy electric-run cars that are owned or leased.
The law also requires the "manufacture, assembly, importation, construction, installation, maintenance, trade and utilization, research and development, and regulation of electric vehicles.”
It also instructs establishments with 20 or more designated parking slots to dedicate at least 5 per cent of their space for the use of EVs and provide charging points.
Related: Cadillac Unveils Its First All-Electric Vehicle
Furthermore, the measure sets the manufacturing standards for the following:
- EV batteries
- Facilities
- Recycling facilities
- Parts and components
- Charging stations
The Department of Energy (DOE) has also been assigned to "lead the EV adoption campaign and the rollout of charging stations."
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