Eduardo Montealto Jr, the regional director of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Central Visayas. | CDN Picture/ Pia Piquero
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The push to place extra electrical automobiles (EVs) on Cebu’s roads may assist clear the air, however it could additionally put unprecedented strain on the province’s energy provide if infrastructure and technology capability fail to maintain tempo.
Eduardo Montealto Jr, regional director of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Central Visayas (LTFRB-7), stated on Wednesday, August 13, that whereas EV numbers have been nonetheless “negligible” immediately, the shift to electric-powered public transport would considerably increase demand on the grid within the years forward.
READ: 10 electrical automobiles you should purchase in Cebu to drive a greener future
“Kung mag-electric na tanan, kinahanglan dunay mag-compensate sa requirement pud,” Montealto stated.
(If all will go electrical, then there ought to one thing that may compensate for the requirement.)
Central Visayas sourced most of its electrical energy from Leyte, however with EV use slowly gaining traction, Montealto confused that extra technology capability can be wanted.
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Two firms are already pursuing extra energy vegetation within the area, however he warned that this is probably not sufficient if adoption accelerates.
At current, Cebu has eight accredited ride-hailing operators, together with Hail Transport Inc., a brand new transport community firm working a totally electrical fleet.
Hail, which just lately launched in Cebu, goals to place itself as a sustainable various within the ride-hailing market through the use of solely electrical automobiles. Its entry, alongside falling EV costs pushed by competitors and direct imports from China, is making the shift to electric-powered public transport more and more viable.
“Nindot ni nga daghan na kaayo, pariha ani, nibarato man ilaha… maayo madaghan pa gyud aron ma-encourage jud tanan og palit,” Montealto stated.
(It’s good as a result of there at the moment are extra, like these, they’ve develop into cheaper…it’s good to have extra in order that extra can be inspired to purchase.)
READ: New incentives program for electrical automobiles seen ‘extra inclusive’
Montealto, an engineer, emphasised that the charging community should increase alongside EV adoption.
“Kinahanglan ni unahon pud nila ang charging stations. Naa man kunoy ratio sa charging stations, then, i-increase nato ang atong energy provide dinhi,” he stated.
(They should first put up charging stations. There’s a ratio on charging stations, then, we’ll improve our energy provide right here.)
Whereas a single EV consumes roughly the identical electrical energy as a family, simultaneous charging may overload the system, he famous. Having standby capability is crucial.
“Kinahanglan gyud ta adunay back-up, kinahanglan gyud adunay pakapin ba,” he added.
(We actually must have a back-up, we actually want that there’s something extra.)
If one energy plant goes offline, one other must be able to take over to keep away from outages.
Montealto acknowledged that the environmental advantages have been clear.
“Atong air pollution siyempre mawa, mugamay gyud ang atong air pollution,” he stated.
(Our air pollution, after all, can be gone, our air pollution can be lessened.)
In Metro Manila, electrical public utility automobiles at the moment are a typical sight. For Cebu and the remainder of Central Visayas, Montealto stated the early arrival of EV operators can be a possibility to organize the transport and power sectors for an inevitable transition.
Cebu’s EV push isn’t new. In September 2024, then-acting Cebu Metropolis mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia introduced that no less than 10 % of the town’s deliberate inexperienced bus fleet can be electrical, citing decrease working prices and decreased emissions.
Mayor Nestor Archival Sr., who took workplace this 12 months, has additionally positioned EV integration amongst his administration’s 2026 finances priorities. His plan consists of city-owned EVs, photo voltaic charging stations, and solar-powered streetlights to chop prices and cut back dependence on fossil fuels.
Nationally, companies comparable to Meralco and the Ayala Group have rolled out EV fleets and charging hubs below their sustainability applications.
The federal government has additionally begun providing incentives to make EVs extra reasonably priced, though excessive costs and restricted charging infrastructure stay key boundaries.
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