Question & AnswerQ&A (IRR of Republic Act No. 11697)
The official title is the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 11697, otherwise known as the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA), or the EVIDA-IRR.
The policy aims to ensure the country’s energy security and independence by reducing reliance on imported fuel for transportation, promote clean and sustainable energy, protect health from pollution, support industry growth, generate employment, safeguard cultural heritage, and recognize LGUs as partners in the transition to electric vehicle technology.
The EVIDA-IRR covers the EV industry including manufacture, assembly, importation, construction, installation, maintenance, trade and utilization, research and development, regulation of electric vehicles, charging stations, related equipment, parts and components, batteries, and support infrastructure including recycling and waste handling.
An EV is a vehicle with at least one electric drive for vehicle propulsion. It includes Battery EVs (BEVs), Hybrid EVs (HEVs), Light EVs (LEVs) used in micromobility, and Plug-in Hybrid EVs (PHEVs).
EVCS include Battery Swapping Stations (BSS), Commercial Use Charging Stations (CUCS) accessible to the public, and Own-Use Charging Stations (OUCS) for exclusive use by individuals or groups.
DOE is the primary agency tasked with promoting EV adoption, developing EVCS and related equipment, issuing rules and standards, accrediting EVCS Providers, coordinating policies with other agencies, updating CREVI, and enforcing compliance with installation and safety standards for EV industry.
Violations may be subject to fines ranging from Fifty Thousand Pesos (P50,000) to Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (P500,000), and may include suspension or revocation of permits. Penalties are in addition to those provided by other existing laws.
Fiscal incentives include possible inclusion of EV manufacturing and assembly in the Strategic Investment Priority Plan for tax and other benefits, exemption from import duties on EVCS for eight years, and expedited processing of importation. Non-fiscal incentives include expedited customs processing and allowances for foreign national experts.
At least five percent (5%) of the fleet owned or leased by industrial/commercial companies, public transport operators, and government units must be EVs within the timeframe set by the Comprehensive Roadmap for the Electric Vehicle Industry (CREVI).
LGUs shall include green routes in local transport plans, issue Certificates of Inspection for EVCS, provide segregated lanes for Light EVs, submit lists of commercial use charging stations, issue permits for construction or renovation involving EV infrastructure, ensure compliance with EV infrastructure requirements, enact local EV operation policies, and provide loading/unloading stations for EVs.