AS the world transitions to cleaner energy, the Philippines is gradually making progress toward electrification. Dr. Jose Bienvenido Biona, executive director of the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP), shared insights at the 2nd Asean Battery Technology Conference in Singapore in a session titled 'Philippines Route to Electrification.' His talk detailed the country's growing Electric Vehicle (EV) market, emphasizing the critical role of government regulations in creating a sustainable EV ecosystem.

Dr. Biona began by providing historical context, highlighting the Philippines' pioneering activities in the Asean region, such as establishing the Electric Vehicle Administration in 2008. The Electric Vehicles Industry Development Act (Evida) has boosted the Philippines' EV sector, improving energy security, lowering greenhouse gas emissions, and stimulating industrial growth. These include fiscal incentives such as excise tax exemptions, lower import tariffs, and non-fiscal benefits such as exemptions from Metro Manila's number coding scheme, all of which are meant to stimulate the use of electric vehicles. The Philippine EV market is divided into five categories: corporate and logistics, public transportation, government, households, and non-road vehicles.