President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order No. 121 on Wednesday, creating the Electric Vehicle Incentive Strategy (EVIS) Program to grow local EV manufacturing. The Department of Energy (DOE) projects the move could cut electric vehicle prices in the Philippines by six to 12 percent, depending on the model.
That works out to potential savings of up to ₱200,000 per vehicle, according to DOE estimates. The department attributed the expected drop to lower production and logistics costs as domestic manufacturing expands, along with more model options for Philippine buyers.
Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said the order is meant to give investors confidence to build EVs in the Philippines rather than import them. “The President has made it clear that the Philippines should not only use electric vehicles – we should build them. Executive Order No. 121 turns that vision into action by giving investors the confidence to manufacture in the Philippines, creating quality jobs for Filipinos, and making electric vehicles more affordable and accessible to every Filipino family,” Garin said.
She also tied the order to the country’s dependence on imported fuel for transportation. “Transportation remains one of the country’s largest consumers of imported petroleum. Every electric vehicle powered increasingly by Philippine-generated electricity helps reduce our dependence on imported fuel, protects consumers from volatile global oil prices, strengthens our energy resilience, and supports a cleaner and more sustainable transport system,” she said.
The DOE said EO 121 supports the government’s push for wider EV adoption as the country shifts toward renewable energy. The order also creates the Inter-Agency Committee on Electric Vehicle Industry Development, bringing together the DOE, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Board of Investments, the Department of Finance, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Budget and Management, other implementing agencies, and the private sector.
Trade and Industry Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque said the order positions the Philippines as an emerging EV manufacturing hub in the region. “We express our sincere gratitude to President Marcos for his strong leadership and unwavering commitment to industrial transformation, sustainable mobility, and green economic growth. The issuance of EO No. 121 sends a clear signal to global and domestic investors that the Philippines is ready to compete for high-value manufacturing investments in the rapidly growing electric vehicle sector,” Roque said.
She said EVIS aims to build a local manufacturing ecosystem that creates jobs, draws in technology and investment, and deepens Philippine industry’s participation in regional and global value chains.
Implementing rules for EO 121 have yet to be released.
