MANILA — Automotive vehicle manufacturing groups have pushed for incentives to support the production of electric vehicles (e-vehicles) and hybrid vehicles in the country.
During the pre-event press conference for the 1st ASEAN Electric and Hybrid Vehicles Summit Friday, Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) President Rommel Gutierrez said providing fiscal and non-fiscal incentives would encourage more players to produce e-vehicles and hybrid vehicles here.
“I think we need support or incentives to bring in the technology. We will be pushing for incentives in Congress and Senate,” Gutierrez said.
He mentioned that the manufacturing of e-vehicles and hybrid vehicles will require importation of technologies which have high tariffs.
“It’s not a direct fund from the government, but something that will encourage manufacturers to bring in the technology,” he added.
For the part of the government, Board of Investments (BOI) Executive Director Ma. Corazon Halili-Dichosa noted that the investment promotion agency had been very supportive to the industry by listing e-vehicle manufacturing and establishment of charging stations for e-vehicles in the Investment Priorities Plan (IPP).
“BOI, for the past IPP, also listed electric vehicles and charging stations as among priority industries that will be given incentives,” said Halili-Dichosa.
“We want to increase our participation in really contributing efforts of the whole government for an environmentally sustainable transportation,” she added.
The official noted that aside from e-tricycles, the BOI wants to see local manufacturing of electric and hybrid jeepneys, cars, buses, and even train system.
Meanwhile, Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP) President Rommel Juan launched the country’s hosting of the 1st ASEAN Electric and Hybrid Vehicles Summit on June 29 to 30, 2017 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.
The regional summit will have a theme of “Strengthening Partnerships for Greener Transport in ASEAN and Beyond”, which aims to push for public and private cooperation to promote EV and hybrid vehicles.
Juan said EVAP also eyes to establish ASEAN Federation of Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Industries (AFEHVI).
“The ASEAN federation will serve as the unified voice of the ASEAN electric and hybrid vehicles industry similar to establish global umbrella organization such as the Electric Vehicle Association of Asia Pacific (EVAAP); European Association for Battery, Hybrid and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (AVERE); and Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA) in the US,” Juan said. Kris Crismundo/PNA-northboundasia.com