The Department of Energy (DOE) remains confident it can reach its target of 7,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations nationwide by 2028, even as only about a fifth of the planned facilities are currently in place.
Patrick Aquino, director of the DOE’s Energy Utilization Management Bureau, said the agency is working with property developers, building operators and mall owners to finalize an issuance that will guide the installation of charging infrastructure in private establishments.
The department has already conducted five public consultations and is preparing for another round to gather further input from stakeholders.
Aquino said the policy requires careful consideration because it would place an obligation on private businesses to install infrastructure that they may not necessarily use for their own operations.
“What we’d like to assure the public is it’s a very difficult issuance because you are putting an obligation on private establishments to put up an infrastructure that the establishment may or may not use by themselves,” he said.
“So we are working closely with property developers, building operators, (and) mall owners to make sure that the issuance is responsive to the realities on the ground and the business sensibilities,” he added.
The DOE expects to release the issuance within the year to help encourage more Filipinos to shift to electric vehicles by next year.
Aquino said the country has so far established only around 20 percent to 23 percent of the 7,000 charging stations targeted by 2028.
Despite the gap in infrastructure, EV registrations continue to rise, with the number nearing 100,000 so far this year.
“So, we’re confident that we will end the year above 100,000 electric vehicles registered. The sales are also following that trajectory if you monitor the reports coming in from CAMPI (Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc.) and TMA (Truck Manufacturers Association) and from what we’ve also monitored from the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines,” Aquino said.
“So, we’re looking at 2026 as a banner year,” he added.
Aquino attributed the growing interest in EVs partly to changing consumer perceptions, with more people considering them as alternatives amid the effects of the Middle East crisis on oil supplies and prices.
He also cited the increasing availability of affordable electric vehicles from Chinese manufacturers, which have been expanding exports to Asian markets, including the Philippines, amid production overcapacity.
The DOE’s charging station target forms part of efforts to support the country’s growing EV market by expanding the infrastructure needed for wider adoption.
📷 Media courtesy of Philstar.com
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