More EV charging projects pushed
The government is preparing a new rule that would cut the approval time for electric vehicle (EV) charging projects by as much as half, as it seeks to keep pace with the rising demand for electrified transport.
Patrick Aquino, director of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Energy Utilization Management Bureau, said a joint administrative order is being prepared by the DOE, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Public Works and Highways and the Anti-Red Tape Authority.
The proposed order seeks to streamline the permitting process for EV charging stations, and could potentially reduce approval times to three months or less from the current six months, Aquino said.
“We want to streamline the permitting process so that it becomes faster for anyone who wants to put up the charging infrastructure to be able to put it,” he added.
There are currently around 1,600 charging points nationwide. The DOE earlier said it was targeting about 7,000 charging points by 2028.
Under the proposed framework, agencies would instead process applications simultaneously. The government is also studying a deemed-approved mechanism for permits that are not acted upon within prescribed periods.
These proposed reforms form part of the government’s broader push to expand charging infrastructure as EV adoption gains traction.
Aquino said the DOE remains optimistic that the number of electrified vehicles registered with the Land Transportation Office will reach 100,000 by the end of the year.
This push to expand charging infrastructure also comes as automakers grapple with stronger-than-expected demand for EVs amid the fuel-price volatility linked to the Middle East conflict.
Jose Maria Atienza, president of the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (Campi), said the share of EVs in total industry sales fell back to around 20 percent in May as some brands struggled to replenish supply.
“This fuel crisis is not planned,” Atienza said. “We were all surprised.”
According to preliminary industry estimates compiled by Campi, vehicle sales in May reached about 33,600 units, slightly higher than April’s 27,225 units but still around 20-percent below year-ago levels.
Despite the slowdown, Campi has improved its outlook for the year.
The group now expects vehicle sales to decline by 5 percent to 8 percent from last year’s level, better than its earlier projection of an 8- to 10-percent contraction.
Automotive sales in 2025 hit 491,395 units, a record-high but short of Campi’s 500,000-unit goal.
