3 House panels approve bill establishing regulatory framework for use of electric vehicles

A bill which creates a national energy policy and a regulatory framework for the use of electric vehicles in the country was approved by three committees in the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

The still unnumbered bill, which will substitute 15 measures filed in the House of Representatives, was approved during the joint hearing of committees on energy, transportation, and ecology.

The bill was a product of four technical working group meetings which started in September 2020, according to Bataan 2nd District Representative Joet Garcia.

In presenting the bill to the joint panel, Garcia said the bill aims to create a national policy and framework to encourage the uptake of electric vehicles in the public and private sector.

This bill will mandate gas stations and public and private establishments to provide designated parking areas for electric vehicles.

All designated electric vehicle parking areas should have charging stations and the bill will also establish an accreditation mechanism for charging station service providers.

The measure will establish green routes which will be exclusive to electric public utility vehicles.

Under the bill, the domestic manufacturing of electric vehicles will be included in the country's investment priority plan.

It will also provide exemptions on the value-added tax for purchases of electric vehicles.

An Electric Vehicles Board (EVB) will likewise be created once the bill is enacted.

The board will be composed of the secretaries of the Energy, Transportation, Trade and Industry, Finance, Interior and Local Government, Science and Technology, Environment and Natural Resources, Public Works and Highways, Budget and Management, and the National Economic and Development Authority.

The Energy secretary will serve as its chairperson.

Garcia said that a similar bill is being tackled in the Senate plenary.

Both houses of Congress have “synchronized” its actions towards the eventual approval of the said bills, Garcia added. — BM, GMA News