Parts manufacturers push for passage of Alternative Fuel Vehicle bill

The Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturers Association of the Philippines is pushing for the ratification of the Alternative Fuel Vehicle bill to support the growth of the electric vehicle industry. “If the government will support the industry, we will be an electric vehicle hub,” said association president Ferdinand Raquel Santos. “As ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) integration comes, we can export.” Senate Bill 2856 or Alternative Fuel Vehicle bill exempts those engage in the import, manufacture or sale of alternative fuel vehicles from the payment of excise tax and value-added tax for nine years. The incentives would result in lower prices and wider access to green vehicles. The bill was approved on third and final reading by both the Senate and the House of Representatives during the 15th Congress. The bill has been reactivated for the current or the 16th Congress. “We’ve got a lot of interest (from electric vehicle firms). If we start producing, we will be number one in the region and that is our objective,” said Santos. Meanwhile, Board of Investments (BOI) governor Lucita Reyes said they were willing to support the electric vehicle industry, and due to its growing status, it might be included in the 2014 Investment Priorities Plan (IPP). — Rie Takumi/DVM, GMA News