Tariff Commission ends public hearing on EO12 revision

The Tariff Commission has ended its public hearing on the mandatory review of Executive Order No. 12 but it will continue to gather more data before submitting its final report to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

Tariff Specialist Irma Olavario said that no additional hearing would be conducted unless another petition is filed, adding that further investigation on gathered data and position papers submitted are still a “work in progress.”

EO12 was enacted to complement the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA) to create an industry for EVs in the country and help reduce carbon emissions, in compliance with the Philippines’ commitment to the Paris Agreement. It modifies the tariff rates for EVs to help mainstream their use among Filipinos.

Currently, e-motorcycles or two-wheeled electric vehicles with maximum speed of over 25 kilometers per hour are still subject to a 30% tariff rate

During the public hearing, electronic vehicle stakeholders supported the inclusion of e-motorcycles in tax incentives.

Meanwhile, data from the Department of Trade and Industry and Board of Investment showed that the country’s electric vehicle fleet will most likely increase if e-motorcycles are given tax breaks.

The BOI said that it has no objection to giving tax breaks to e-motorcycles but emphasized the need to look into their issues.

Department of Energy Research Specialist Andre Reyes also added that making e-motorcycles more affordable may help the country switch to green transportation quicker.

“This proposed coverage expansion will send a clear price signal for consumers to switch to EVs, which are more efficient and cheaper to run per kilometer, and assist in energy self-sufficiency,” he said.

According to the DOE, using e-motorcycles is more efficient, as they only cost P0.34 and save 1.72 liters of fuel per kilometer compared to their gas-powered counterpart, which burns P1.20 per kilometer, which makes them not only cheaper to run but also more eco-friendly.

The DOE aims to increase the country’s EV fleet by 50%, or an additional 2.4 million units.—Jiselle Anne Casucian/AOL, GMA Integrated News