Getting ready to plug in
By Iñigo S. Roces
With more countries pledging to only sell electric vehicles within the coming decades, many may be asking, when will the Philippines do the same? These and more obstacles to switching to electric will be discussed in the coming Electric Vehicle Summit.
The event is organized by the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP), together with the Manila Electric Company (MERALCO) and in partnership with the Department of Energy (DOE). These entities are behind the Ninth Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit (PEVS) on August 26-27, 2021 via the online platform, Zoom. The PEVS is the biggest annual conference promoting electric vehicles in the country, and will stage its second virtual summit next month.
With the theme ‘Accelerating the Switch to Electro-Mobility in the Philippines,’ the two-day event will focus on fast-tracking electric vehicle (EV) adoption in the local transport sector in line with the government’s medium-term goal of attaining a low-carbon economy.
“We need to step up our efforts to achieve our goals for rapid EV deployment, and to do this, government and private sectors need to collectively reaffirm their commitment to do so,” said EVAP President, Edmund Araga.
“Among the highlights of the 9th PEVS will be the symbolic signing of the stakeholder Memorandum of Understanding, which is aimed at speeding up the switch to electro-mobility by 2025,” Araga added. Government agencies, the academe, civil society groups and EVAP will reaffirm their commitment to work towards the transition to a more sustainable transport system.
EVAP continues to work closely with government and industry stakeholders to catalyze a behavioral change towards a more sustainable future, through the modernization and electrification of public and private transport.
Conference highlights
Day One of the online conference will focus on policy dialogues about technologies and solutions. Opening the Ninth PEVS are keynote messages by the EV Champions in the Legislative and Executive branches of the government including Rep. Juan Miguel Macapagal-Arroyo, House Committee on Energy Chairman; DOE Secretary, Alfonso Cusi; and Sen. Sherwin T. Gatchalian, Senate Committee on Energy Chairman. EVAP also anticipates a keynote message from a high-ranking official of the UK government who will be hosting this year’s COP 26.
Aside from the symbolic reaffirmation of EV transition commitment, the morning session of the first day will also host the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the Asian Federation of Electric Vehicles Association (AFEVA) and the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE). A session on EV policy and Standards Regulations is also part of the morning highlights. The summit promises an exciting afternoon for technology junkies with sessions on trending and future EV technology.
Day Two will tackle the EV value chain development and market opportunities. The sessions will include discussions on manufacturing of electric vehicles and batteries, establishment of charging networks and infrastructure, viable business models, and the very important topic of financing EV programs.
Electric roadmap
Currently, the government is working to attain the goals of its EV Industry Roadmap (2016-2024) as set by the Department of Trade and Industry - Board of Investments (DTI-BOI). The strategy includes provision of incentives to stakeholders involved in adoption of low-emission technologies.
Meanwhile, both chambers of Congress are also working to pass the Electric Vehicles and Charging Stations Acts to boost consumer demand for electric vehicles (EVs) in the country and make EVs more affordable in the long run. The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has also launched a public utility vehicle modernization program that will replace traditional vehicles for public transport with new and environmentally-friendly alternatives that comply with global standards. The Land Transportation Office has also very recently released the regulations on electric vehicle use in the country.
The Ninth PEVS is co-presented by the Department of Energy and Nissan Philippines, and is also supported by the following members: Mitsubishi Motors Philippines, Power Equipment and Supply Inc (PESIN), Integrated Micro-Electronics, Inc. (IMI) and Delta Electronics International (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. Visit www.evap.com.ph to register for the two-day Ninth Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit.