The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) reiterates its commitment to provide manufacturing solutions for electric vehicles (EV) with the government’s ongoing Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).
DTI Undersecretary and Board of Investments (BOI) Managing Head Ceferino Rodolfo in an interview last week said the government targets the local EV manufacturing industry to supply with the demand from the PUVMP.
Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization (ACTO) president Liberty De Luna said the transport group alone would require 20,000 units of e-jeepneys and up to 50,000 of e-tricycles to comply with the government’s shift to modern and cleaner modes of transportation.
De Luna said ACTO wants to support locally made EVs by sourcing the group’s demand from local manufacturers, but the domestic sector should also ensure that spare parts and after-sales services are also available and easy to access.
“We are trying to provide the manufacturing solution to the issue of the PUV modernization. We hope that as we support and move towards modernizing our public utilities, this can also create jobs for Filipinos,” Rodolfo said.
“This is a unique opportunity since the demand is here. It’s better for us to support our locally made products so that more people can benefit, and we can strengthen our ecosystem for electric vehicles.”
The country has local EV manufacturers such as Pure EV and Tojo Motors Corp.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. was also present in the recent inauguration of EV battery manufacturer StB GigaFactory, Inc. in New Clark City.
DTI has been pursuing investment leads on critical mineral processing to support EV battery manufacturing to complete the domestic EV supply chain.
Last week, President Marcos was looking into expanding the incentives package for EV manufacturers and users to stimulate the growth of the local EV industry. (PNA)
