Charging ahead into the EV shift in the Philippines

BusinessWorld Insights forum tackles accelerating electric mobility

- By Jomarc Angelo M. Corpuz, Krystal Anjela H. Gamboa, and Bjorn Biel M. Beltran

EVER SINCE the crisis in West Asia broke out, more Filipinos have come to realize the value that electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy can bring to Filipino households and the broader economy.

Aside from the government incentives offered through the Electric Vehicle Industry Development (EVIDA) Law, EV owners and green energy users remained largely unaffected by the war-induced fuel price hike and subsequent power rate spike.

Against the backdrop of heightened interest in energy security and sustainable mobility, BusinessWorld organized its latest Insights forum, themed “Powering the Electric Shift,” on June 30 at the Gallardo Jr. Ballroom of Makati Diamond Residences.

Bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, technology providers, and sustainability advocates, the forum explored the accelerating transition to electric mobility in the Philippines. Discussions centered on expanding EV adoption, strengthening charging infrastructure, advancing renewable energy integration, and fostering public-private collaboration to build a cleaner, more resilient, and future-ready transport ecosystem.

ALIGNING POLICIES AND GOALS

Kicking off the discussions was the Department of Energy’s Energy Utilization and Management Bureau Director Patrick T. Aquino, CESO III, who emphasized in his keynote address that as the energy transition is already underway, the challenge now is ensuring that the Philippines moves swiftly enough to seize its economic opportunities by aligning energy and mobility policies.

“The question is no longer whether the transition will happen. The question is whether the Philippines will move fast enough to capture its economic opportunities. The Department of Energy believes the answer is yes, but only if energy policy and mobility policy move together,” Mr. Aquino said.