THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Friday welcomed Malacañang’s issuance of Executive Order 121, which establishes the Electric Vehicle Incentive Strategy (EVIS) program.
The program provides time-bound, performance-based fiscal support for the manufacture of hybrid and battery EVs — particularly passenger cars, commercial vehicles, and their parts and components.
Trade Secretary Cristina Roque called it a landmark policy that strengthens the Philippines’ position as an emerging regional hub for EV manufacturing, and thanked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for it.
Roque noted that the order fulfills the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act’s mandate to craft an incentive strategy that boosts domestic manufacturing capacity and accelerates the local automotive industry’s shift to electric mobility.
The program is expected to draw eligible manufacturers to establish or expand EV production facilities in the Philippines, with incentives tied to actual investment and production outcomes — ensuring government support translates into tangible gains such as higher local output, technology transfer, supply chain development, and jobs for Filipino workers.
Roque said the DTI and Board of Investments (BOI) will work closely with partner agencies and industry stakeholders to ensure the timely release of implementing guidelines, fostering a transparent, predictable, and competitive investment environment for long-term industrial growth.
Meanwhile, the BOI said it is exploring ways to position the Philippines as a regional hub for EV talent development and technical training, following a meeting with Beifang Automotive Education Group, China’s largest automotive vocational education institution.
At the meeting were Trade Undersecretary and BOI Managing Head Ceferino Rodolfo and Executive Director Evariste Cagatan, representatives from Beifang, and officials from the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines, the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, the Truck Manufacturers Association, and the Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturers Association of the Philippines.
Discussions covered potential collaboration on EV training facilities, skills development, certification programs, and school-enterprise partnerships to strengthen the country’s automotive workforce.
Rodolfo said that while the Philippine EV industry is growing, a shortage of skilled technical professionals remains a major hurdle to attracting high-value investment.
He raised the possibility of the Philippines becoming a future center for new energy vehicle training in Southeast Asia, as the DTI and Beifang identified areas for further cooperation.
Beifang, established in 1993, offers training on internal combustion, hybrid, electric, and hydrogen vehicle technologies, with clients including Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, BYD, and Tesla.
It invited BOI and Philippine stakeholders to visit its Beijing headquarters.
