Marcos welcomes Tesla move to sell EVs in PH 

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President Marcos Jr. yesterday reaffirmed the government’s commitment to make the country’s transportation system more environment-friendly as he welcomed the launch of the Tesla Center Philippines in Taguig City.

The President said Tesla’s decision to invest in the Philippines is a recognition of the country’s potential that is underpinned by forward-thinking policies and a collective determination to innovate.

“The government understands that transitioning to electric vehicles is a complex journey, one that requires vision and a great deal of strong and committed concrete action to make it practical, inclusive, and impactful for every Filipino. And this is why we have adopted and pursued strategic measures that reflect our commitment to enhancing sustainable transportation while meeting the needs of our communities,” Marcos said.

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He said the among the measures adopted by the country is the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Act which removed the excise taxes on battery electric vehicles and made these advanced technologies more competitive than the traditional cars.

He said another measure is the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA) which provides duty-free importation for charging stations, lower user fees for EV owners, and prioritized registration and traffic privileges.

Additional measures are the Comprehensive Roadmap for the Electric Vehicle Industry (CREVI) which aims to achieve a 50 percent electric vehicles market share in the Philippines by 2040; and Executive Order No. 62 which aims to reduce tariff rates to zero until 2028 on pure electric or hybrid four-wheelers and motorcycles. 

The President said the investment of Tesla Inc. (Tesla), is not only a boost to efforts to address climate change in the country but also lays the groundwork for the competition in electronic vehicles to grow.

Marcos said it also empowers local workforce, invests in Filipino talents, and builds a generation of Filipinos equipped with globally sustainable technologies.

“Tesla is building a generation of Filipinos equipped to lead in the global shift towards sustainable technologies such as this,” he said.

He also expressed hope that Tesla, in the future, would also start manufacturing its vehicles in the Philippines, complimenting a state-of-the-art facility that opened in September last year which produces advanced iron phosphate batteries essential to electric vehicles manufacturing.

“To Tesla, thank you for believing in the Philippines. Your investment in the country extends beyond transportation and infrastructure; it is in the people and potential of the country. To the Filipino people, let us work together to ensure that this milestone runs parallel with our shared journey towards sustainability, inclusivity, and innovation,” he added.

Tesla is a publicly listed company in the National Association of Security Dealers Automated Quotations with a market capitalization of above $1.2 trillion while Tesla Motors Philippines Inc. (Tesla Philippines) is its subsidiary in the country that oversees importation, sales, after-sales, customer support, services, and charging infrastructure deployment and operation in the Philippines.

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