MANILA, Philippines — Moving the country a significant step closer to establishing a domestic green transport manufacturing hub, the government’s flagship electric vehicle policy has cleared its most critical administrative gatekeeper. The Electric Vehicle Incentive Strategy (EVIS) has officially secured the green light from the Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIRB).
The interagency approval keeps the highly anticipated program on track for a formal public rollout before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s next State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July.
Finance Secretary Frederick Go, who serves as the chair of the FIRB, confirmed that the specialized tax-and-incentive package won board approval during its high-level meeting on May 18.
[ EVIS Development Pipeline ] ──► [ Approved by FIRB on May 18 ]
│
▼ (Final Step Before Activation)
[ Executive Order (EO) Sign-off ] ◄── Awaiting Signature from President Marcos Jr.
The program requires a formal Executive Order from Malacañang before it officially modifies existing manufacturing tariff guidelines. Structurally, EVIS is designed to capture a broad cross-section of the market, offering fiscal support to companies assembly-line manufacturing both passenger cars and commercial logistics vehicles, covering everything from hybrid setups to fully electric vehicles (EVs).
Because the production costs of localized electrified platforms remain higher than traditional Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) assembly, the financial scope of EVIS will significantly outpace previous government auto manufacturing blueprints:
[ DISSOLVED VS. ACTIVE AUTO PROGRAMS ]
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┌──────────────────────────────────┴──────────────────────────────────┐
▼ ▼
[ THE RESURGENCE MATRIX (CARS) ] [ THE CANCELED "RACE" BILL ]
• The 2015 Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy • The proposed ₱9-billion Revitalizing the Automotive
allocated ₱27 billion in multi-year tax credits. Industry for Competitiveness (RACE) initiative.
• Limited exclusively to legacy ICE platforms, drawing inside • Shelved by the economic team in April 2026 to pool
production from Toyota and Mitsubishi. all administrative funds into the green EVIS ecosystem.
Even before the finalized text of the executive order is made public, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has noted significant initial interest from major automotive conglomerates looking to anchor their production grids in the country:
- The First Mover: Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. stands as the sole manufacturer to publicly outline its participation. In April, the firm announced a strategic plan to assemble a hybrid EV model locally by 2028, positioning it to become the nation’s first locally manufactured electrified car.
- Targeting Early Adopters: Trade Secretary Cristina Roque revealed that the state is aiming to lock in at least four initial manufacturing participants to seed the grid, confirming that heavy hitters Toyota Motor Philippines Inc. and Mitsubishi are firmly rooted on the preliminary list.
- Strategic Alliances: Inquirer sources have learned that a homegrown automotive company is exploring a complex joint venture structure with a prominent foreign EV technology provider to hit the strict technical qualification floors of the program.
Ultimately, trade officials view EVIS as the primary anchor needed to protect the local supply chain from shifting global market forces. Board of Investments (BOI) Executive Director Ma. Corazon H. Dichosa emphasized that the program will play an essential structural role in steering the country away from oil price vulnerabilities—transitioning the archipelago away from its heavy dependence on foreign fossil fuels by creating highly advanced, clean transport infrastructure right at home.
