DTI seeks P12 billion for e-vehicle manufacturing program

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said it needs P12 billion to fund a program to kickstart the electric-vehicle manufacturing industry.

“Meron po kaming sina-suggest na programa para masuportahan po natin yung paggawa ng mga e-vehicles sa bansa na makakatulong naman po para makapag advance ‘yung manufacturing industry. Dahil mag uumpisa pa lang po tayo, kinakailangan talaga ng tulong at ang halaga po na aming na-estimate para dito sa programa ay P12 billion (We need seed money of P12 billion to support e-vehicle manufacturing, which will support the overall manufacturing sector),” Trade and Industry Undersecretary for Competitiveness and Innovation Group Rafaelita M. Aldaba said during a virtual hearing of the House committee on energy Monday.

Ms. Aldaba said that the program will cover 72,250 public utility vehicles, 12,250 buses, 70,000 trucks and 70,000 other utility vehicles.

“Ito pong programa ng BoI (Board of Investments) at DTI ay para sa manufacturing naman. Otherwise po, baka ang mangyari kahit na merong ibibigay na subsidy para sa modernization, baka i-import lang natin lahat na hindi naman po makakatulong ‘yun masyado sa ekonomiya natin (The BoI and DTI want to emphasize manufacturing, because if we resort to subsidies to modernize vehicles, what might happen is that the vehicles will be imported, which will not help the economy as much),” she said.

In 2017, the Department of Transportation initiated the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program which aims to modernize the jeepney fleet and set new rules for granting franchises to road-based public transport services.

Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Chairman Martin B. Delgra III said the agency is providing incentives for drivers and operators who want to participate in the modernization program.

“(Transportation) Secretary (Arthur P.) Tugade has approved doubling the equity subsidy in the purchase of (electric) vehicles. Dinoble na po ‘yung equity subsidy to the current P80,000 to P160,000 po. So malaking tulong po ito sa mga tsuper who want to participate in the modernization program (The equity subsidy has been doubled to P160,000, which will be a big help to drivers and operators who want to participate in the modernization program),” he said.

The panel was discussing House Bill 4075, which seeks to provide a regulatory framework for the use of electric vehicles and the establishment of electric charging stations. It created a technical working group to further develop the measure. — Genshen L. Espedido