Ex-DOE official urges shift to electric vehicles amid rising fuel prices

A former undersecretary of the Department of Energy (DOE) on Tuesday encouraged the motoring public to shift to electric vehicles (EVs) amid the rising fuel prices due to the Middle East crisis.

"Alam niyo, sa hanay ng transportation, matagal na natin isinusulong na sana po ay magpalit na tayo ng sasakyan. Kasi masyado tayong reliant sa diesel. At palagi na lang kapag tumataas ang presyo, nasasaktan ang mga kababayan natin. Sana mag-electric vehicle na," Jay Layug, who is now an executive board member of the Philippine Energy Research and Policy Institute, said in an interview on Unang Hirit.

(You know, in the transportation sector, we have long been advocating for a shift in our vehicles. It's because we are too reliant on diesel. And every time fuel prices go up, our countrymen suffer. I hope people switch to electric vehicles.) 

"Kasi kung electric vehicles lahat 'yan, eh di walang gasolina or diesel na kailangan gastusan. So ayun ang pinaka-fundamental na paradigm shift na kailangan natin gawin. Mag-electric vehicles na tayo, 'wag na tayo umasa sa langis," he added. 

(Because if Philippine cars were all electric vehicles, then there would be no need to spend on gasoline or diesel. So that is the most fundamental paradigm shift we need to make. Let's move to electric vehicles and stop depending on oil.) 

Motorists got some relief this week as fuel retailers on Tuesday implemented pump price rollbacks. However, these are not enough to offset 13 consecutive weeks of increases for gasoline, and 15 straight weeks for both diesel and kerosene.

The Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines recently noted a rise in demand for electric vehicles, with waiting times for units extending from just three days to as much as four weeks. — VDV, GMA News