DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental — The provincial government is moving to close a widening compliance gap with the national mandate requiring at least five percent of its motor fleet to run on electric power, as a newly-filed ordinance aims to set a higher local benchmark of 10% conversion while a cursory review shows provincial government rolling stock remains at zero percent EV penetration.
The measure, titled "The Negros Oriental Electric Fleet and Charging Infrastructure Ordinance of 2026," provides under Section 1 that the provincial government shall ensure that at least 10% of the total covered vehicle fleet is converted to electric vehicles within the timetable set under its implementing rules and regulations.
The ordinance shall apply only to motor vehicles assigned for personnel transport, including official cars, service vehicles, vans, buses, ambulances, and other similar road vehicles used for transport of persons or for emergency response.
Vehicle Coverage and Exclusions Defined
Heavy equipment and construction machinery such as bulldozers, backhoes, graders, excavators, compactors, cranes, loaders, and similar equipment used primarily for construction, earthmoving, or infrastructure works shall be excluded from the coverage of the proposed ordinance.
Conversion shall be implemented in phases, prioritizing vehicles due for replacement, those with high daily or annual fuel usage, those assigned to regular urban routes, and those suitable for electric vehicle operation based on technical and operational requirements.
The phased approach acknowledges the practical challenges facing local government units in meeting the electric vehicle transition targets while maintaining essential public services and emergency response capabilities.
Province Shows Just Four Public Charging Stations
A cursory review of available EV charging infrastructure across the province shows only four publicly-accessible charging stations servicing the entire territory — one in Tayasan, one in Bacong, and two in Dumaguete City. All four stations are configured for four-wheeled electric vehicles.
The limited infrastructure stands in stark contrast to rising private-sector adoption, with Chinese EV manufacturer BYD among the fastest-growing brands locally. BYD models now on display in Dumaguete include the Shark 6 DMO pickup and the Sealion 5 DM-i SUV.
Charging network apps indicate that the nearest high-capacity stations for some EV units remain more than 80 kilometers away — in Kabankalan, San Carlos City and nearby Dipolog City and in Dumanjug, Cebu — underscoring the mismatch between vehicle sales and supporting infrastructure.
Two-Wheeler Dominance Raises Policy Questions
A careful consideration emerges from the reality that the majority of Negros Oriental motorists travel on two-wheeled motorcycles, and only a limited segment of the population can afford the sticker price of a four-wheel electric vehicle.
With the ongoing oil crisis continuing to push fuel prices upward, the question of whether local motorists will pivot to electric motorcycles — and whether local legislation will adapt to address the needs of those unable to acquire four-wheeled EVs — remains open as the proposed ordinance undergoes committee review.
The motorcycle-centric transportation culture in the province presents unique challenges for electric vehicle adoption that may require specialized policy responses beyond the current four-wheel focus.
National Law Sets Five Percent Baseline Requirement
The provincial measure operates under Republic Act No. 11697, or the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA), which lapsed into law on April 15, 2022 and took effect on May 11, 2022. The Implementing Rules and Regulations were promulgated on September 6, 2022.
Under Section 16 of EVIDA, Local Government Units, National Government Agencies, and Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations — along with industrial and commercial companies, public transport operators, cargo logistics firms, utilities, and similar fleet operators — must ensure that at least five percent of their fleet, whether owned or leased, shall be EVs.
The Comprehensive Roadmap for the Electric Vehicle Industry (CREVI) provides the timeline for a gradual increase in such percentage until the entire fleet of covered entities will all be EVs.
Department of Energy Targets 2.4 Million EVs by 2028
From 2023 to 2028, the Department of Energy (DOE) is targeting the nationwide rollout of 2,454,200 EVs — covering cars, tricycles, motorcycles, and buses — alongside 65,000 EV charging stations.
In March 2023, the DOE pushed to raise the original 5% EV rollout target to 10%. The Philippine Energy Plan's Clean Energy Scenario sets a longer-term goal of refleeting at least fifty percent of all fleets by 2040.
The ambitious national targets reflect the government's commitment to reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels and meeting climate change mitigation goals under international agreements.
Local Governments Seek Implementation Guidance
Stakeholder consultations since the EVIDA IRR took effect have repeatedly surfaced a recurring concern from local government units: there remains a lack of clarity on which specific vehicles will count toward their mandated 5% EV share — an ambiguity the proposed Negros Oriental ordinance appears designed to resolve at the local level by defining coverage and exclusions.
The provincial initiative represents an attempt to provide clearer guidance for government fleet managers while setting a more ambitious target that could position Negros Oriental as a regional leader in electric vehicle adoption.
The ordinance currently undergoes committee review, with implementation timelines and specific technical requirements expected to be detailed in forthcoming implementing rules and regulations.
Photo credit: Photo courtesy of Kenneth/Telegram