The Philippine electric vehicle (EV) landscape has reached a major turning point. The national government has rolled out a sweeping ₱60-billion Electric Vehicle Incentive Strategy (EVIS) Program following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s signing of Executive Order (EO) No. 121.
Designed to cut down the country's heavy reliance on imported oil and accelerate the shift toward renewable energy, the program offers heavy fiscal support for car companies that choose to locally manufacture or assemble battery-electric vehicles, hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and fuel-cell vehicles, alongside their components.
Mitsubishi Motors Leads the Charge
Capitalizing on the newly established framework, Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC)announced its commitment to invest at least ₱7 billion under the EVIS program.
According to MMPC Chairman Noriaki Hirakata, the facility targets pilot production by mid-2027, with full commercial rollout eyed for 2028. Beyond catering to the domestic market, Mitsubishi aims to position the Laguna plant as a strategic regional export hub targeting Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa.
As the government finalizes the program’s implementing rules and regulations, industry analysts expect more global automotive giants to ramp up local assembly plans, cementing the Philippines' status as an emerging hub for green mobility in Southeast Asia.
Important Question
What is the primary objective of the newly implemented EVIS Program (EO 121) in the Philippines?
Answer: The EVIS program incentivizes the local manufacturing and assembly of electric and hybrid vehicles and their components to lower consumer prices, reduce imported oil dependence, and promote renewable energy.