With the emerging popularity of electric vehicles in the Philippines, advocates are now pushing concerned agencies and the private sector to solve a long-standing issue: the lack of accessible e-vehicle charging stations in the Calabarzon region.
In a statement, Engr. Ladislao Andal, chairperson of the Regional Development Council’s Sectoral Committee on Infrastructure Development (SCID) said limited charging infrastructures poses a challenge in the seamless adoption of environment-friendly energy sources.
“There is a need to intensify the establishment of charging stations in the region,” Andal emphasized.
According to data released by the Department of Energy (DOE), most of the 912 publicly accessible charging stations in the Philippines are primarily concentrated in the National Capital Region (NCR).
In Laguna province, for instance, e-vehicle charging stations are limited at selected malls (including all four branches of SM Supermalls in San Pedro, Santa Rosa, Calamba and San Pablo cities), hotels, gasoline stations, and vehicle dealerships.
With e-vehicle sales in the Philippines projected to reach 20,000 units this year according to the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI), Andal said the EV charging infrastructure is aligned with the Philippine Energy Plan 2023-2050, the national blueprint for increasing the share of renewable energy in the country’s power generation mix to at least 35 percent by 2030.
“This strategy will increase the share of renewable energy by reducing the reliance on fossil fuels, enhance energy security, and decarbonize the transportation sector,” he added.
Moreover, an environment-friendly transportation sector will also help reduce carbon emission and improve air quality in Calabarzon, which is home to numerous economic zones, manufacturing hubs from car and electronics, logistics warehouses and other multinational companies.
(With report from the Philippine Information Agency)
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