President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. administers the oath to 21 newly promoted Philippine Coast Guard flag officers, including one vice admiral, two rear admirals and 18 commodores, as he calls on them to lead with integrity and uphold their responsibility to the Filipino people.
Working with local manufacturers and technical experts to establish local manufacturing for electric vehicles (EVs), particularly e-tricycles, President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. is keen on the country having its own locally manufactured e-trikes as the Marcos administration works to establish a domestic electric vehicle production industry.
During a media briefing, the president disclosed that his administration is working with local manufacturers and technical experts to address the equipment and production gaps that need to be filled before Filipino-made EVs can be rolled out.
Prior to this, he visited MD Juan Enterprises in Caloocan City to inspect the company’s facilities and discuss what additional support may be required to expand into electric vehicle manufacturing.
To date, the company specializes in machine-pressed metal parts and restoration kits for vintage, military and civilian jeepneys. It is also a beneficiary of the Department of Science and Technology (DoST)’s e-mobility program.
“(We) are determining which capabilities are already available at the facility and which still need to be developed,” he pointed out. “Tinitingnan namin ang mga facilities, ano iyong nandito na, ano na iyong mga kulang (at) ano pa iyong mga kulang na susuportahan ng ating DoST (at) ng national government para makapagawa na tayo ng electric vehicle dito sa Pilipinas,” he added in the vernacular.
He underscored that a local EV manufacturing sector could bring several benefits, including reducing the country’s dependence on imported petroleum products and helping make the transportation industry more sustainable.
He likewise highlighted the potential of locally produced EVs to generate more stable livelihood opportunities for Filipino transport workers.
“With the necessary equipment and technical assistance and together with our technical consultants, I believe that we will soon be seeing a Filipino electric vehicle tricycle. At maybe down the road, makagawa na tayo ng electric jeepney,” Pres. Marcos Jr. cited to express his confidence that the Philippines could soon produce its own electric tricycle.
In ending, he noted that the initiative to establish a domestic EV production line forms part of his administration’s continuing push for transportation modernization, cleaner mobility and stronger local manufacturing capacity.