FILE PHOTO: In November 2022, the Department of Transportation and the United Nations Development Program start testing an electric bus, called “Comet,” in Baguio City. Philippine Daily Inquirer/Vincent Cabreza
MANILA, Philippines — Consumer advocacy group CitizenWatch Philippines is pushing for the amendment of Republic Act No. 10863 in order to boost the country’s use of two-wheeled electric vehicles.
CitizenWatch Philippines convenor Jose Christopher “Kit” Belmonte said amending RA 10863, otherwise known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, would lower the cost of importation of two-wheeled electric vehicles along with its necessary parts.
“Government should encourage more Filipinos to invest in more [environmentally] friendly transportation, as well as create incentives for them to make this shift,” said Belmonte in a statement.
READ: PH interest in e-vehicles lowest in Southeast Asia, study says
Citing the Philippine Energy Plan 2020-2040, Belmonte pointed out that the sales of sustainable two-wheeled vehicles will continue to skyrocket in the years to come as a way to cope with rising prices of fuel and “inadequate transportation” in the Philippines.
While the group welcomed the national government’s move to temporarily lower the tariff rate of four-wheeled vehicles to zero percent for the next five years through Executive Order No 12, Belmonte reiterated that two-wheeled vehicles should be included in this effort.
READ: DOTr sees need to shift transport system to electric vehicles
“The government’s strategy toward the adoption of electric vehicles in the transport industry should, logically and naturally, include two-wheeled vehicles,” he said.
Through Executive Order No. 12, the Palace said that transportation is still one of the largest sources of air pollution and energy-related greenhouse emissions in the country, adding that the modification of the rates of import duty on electric vehicles will support the country’s transition to emerging technologies and encourage consumers to consider a cleaner and greener transportation option.
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