President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday urged foreign manufacturers to invest in the Philippines’ electric vehicle (EV) industry, as the government aims for EVs to make up 50% of the country’s vehicle fleet by 2040.
Marcos made the call during a visit to the manufacturing and assembly plant of Sazgar Philippines Inc. in Biñan City, Laguna.
Sazgar Philippines was established in 2026 and is a subsidiary of Pakistan-based Sazgar Engineering Works Ltd. The company operates in Laguna and sells passenger and commercial three-wheelers, including electric models.
In his speech, the President cited figures from the Department of Energy (DOE) on the size of the local EV sector.
“As of 2026 August, the DOE [Department of Energy] has reported over 420 accredited EVC providers and discovered operators, service providers, and suppliers. These initiatives seek to build an industry that serves the needs of our people while creating greater value for the Philippine economy,” Marcos said.
He then addressed investors directly. “So, to our stakeholders: Invest in the Philippines. Build partnerships with our suppliers. Explore opportunities to expand manufacturing activities in our shores,” he said.
Marcos also repeated his call for more local production of EV components. He asked Sazgar to cut its dependence on imported parts and widen its local supply chain.
“So, to Sazgar: I offer both our thanks and the challenge. At present, many of your parts still come from abroad. I ask you to grow your Filipino supply chain year after year,” he said.
The President said the company expects to localize its parts production. “They are anticipating that they will be able to produce all the parts locally. In other words, it will be 100% locally manufactured parts within the year or so. So, that every tricycle that will leave the plant is made by Filipinos. The government will work hand in hand with you to make that happen,” Marcos continued.
According to Marcos, the government is also working to strengthen energy security, encourage innovation, and attract investments in emerging technologies. “Efforts such as these, bring us closer to our target of achieving 50% EV fleet share by 2040,” he said.
Marcos said the government wants to make cleaner, modern transportation available to every Filipino by increasing domestic EV production.
