Introduction
Mobility is a critical element of social and economic development. However, the current transportation model heavily relies on fossil fuel-based internal combustion engines (ICE), resulting in harmful emissions that negatively impact the environment and climate. In the Philippines, the transportation sector is the largest source of air pollution and energy-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In 2015, transport GHG emissions contributed to 34% of the total Philippine GHG emissions, with road transport accounting for 80% of those emissions.1
The DENR reports that 74% of air pollutants come from transport sources (e.g., cars, motorcycles, trucks, and buses). Transport sources account for 83.09% of NOx (0.40 Mt) and 37.73% of PM (0.29 Mt) of pollutants in Metro Manila. 2 The transport sector in the Philippines is energy-intensive and contributed about 35.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e) and 27.4 MtCO2e of emissions in 2019 and 2020, respectively.3 Moreover, the price volatility of oil products and fears of fuel shortages, in addition to continued fuel dependence, pose a burden on our energy security, our economy, and the public.
To mitigate GHG emissions, transportation is a priority sector in the Philippines' NDC. Governments worldwide are shifting towards decarbonizing the transport sector in adherence to climate goals by adopting electric mobility or e-mobility. The Philippines has been pursuing this strategy for a long time, as seen in nationwide pilot activities, policies, and regulations that support the development of the EV industry. However, a roadmap is necessary to align multiple policy directions and programs, which is why the CREVI was established.
The EVIDA became law on April 15, 2022, as Republic Act 11697, which mandates the creation of CREVI. The roadmap focuses on the development of EV charging stations, manufacturing, research and development, and human resource development. It provides short-, medium-, and long-term targets to address the barriers to the EV industry and aims to address the fragmentation of public and private efforts by producing synergistic results from all activities to develop the EV industry.
With this, the transportation sector in the Philippines is a significant source of GHG emissions, air pollution, and energy dependence. However, with the establishment of CREVI, there is a roadmap that aligns with multiple policy directions and programs to address the challenges of the EV industry. This presents a significant opportunity for the Philippines to transition towards electric mobility and reduce its GHG emissions while improving air quality and energy security.
Furthermore, a more inclusive and sustainable adoption of EVs will require a robust local EV manufacturing industry which will make the availability of vehicles and parts more accessible to consumers.
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1 TRANSfer Philippines. (2015, September 14). Philippines: Jeepney + NAMA (Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions). http://www.transferproject.org/projects/transfer-partner-countries/phili...
2 Department of Environment and Natural Resources. (2018). Emissions Inventory 2018. https://air.emb.gov.ph/emission-inventory-2018/.
3 DOE Key Energy Statistics 2020
Click to view/download the Comprehensive Roadmap for the Electric Vehicle Industry