EVAP hopes for consolidation of alternative-fuel vehicle bills in Congress

Now that Senate Bill No. 2856 has been passed, the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines hopes that both chambers of Congress will work on a consolidated version of their bills on incentives for electric, hybrid and alternative-fuel vehicles. The House of Representatives passed its version of the bill in April last year. Rep. Jose Zubiri III authored the House bill, while Sen. Ralph Recto authored its Senate counterpart.   “The electric vehicle industry really needs these approved bills to be enacted into law to help our sunrise industry, encourage local and foreign investors, and make [the industry] competitive with the rest of the region," EVAP president Rommel Juan said Tuesday. “We are counting on this law to provide both fiscal and non-fiscal incentives that would help our assemblers, parts makers, suppliers and importers,” Juan added. In turn, he said, these could bring down the costs of production and therefore the final selling price of the vehicles. Juan also hoped for the speedy progress of the bills in the bicameral legislature. “We can only hope that our legislators can act fast enough to give our infant industry a much-needed shot in the arm," he said. — BM, GMA News