The installation of another electric vehicle (EV) charging station marks a significant step toward transforming Clark into a model green city for EV users.

Clark Development Corporation (CDC) President Agnes Devanadera said the new solar-powered charging station, a joint project of the CDC and the Department of Energy (DOE), supports the national energy agenda and is expected to stimulate economic activity across sectors such as retail, gaming, tourism, and the MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions) industry.

The station, built with support from the Philippine National Oil Company Renewables Corporation (PNOC-RC), is the third EV charging facility in Clark, following those in SM City Clark and Quest Hotel. It will offer free charging until the end of June, with commercial operations set to begin in July 2025 for long-term sustainability.

More businesses and locators in Clark are shifting to hybrid and electric vehicles in response to volatile fuel prices and to improve productivity.

DOE Director for Energy Utilization Management Bureau Patrick T. Aquino III reported that there are already 1,062 charging stations across the country, including private sector initiatives. Over 25,000 hybrid and EVs are expected to be operating nationwide by the end of 2024, up 170 percent from 9,000 units in 2023.

Aquino urged Filipinos to consider switching to EVs, noting the cost-efficiency: A fuel-powered vehicle uses P5 for every five kilometers, while an EV only consumes P1 of electricity for the same distance.

The expansion of charging infrastructure nationwide is part of the Comprehensive Roadmap on the Electric Vehicle Industry, mandated by Republic Act 11697 or the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA). The effort also supports President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s energy agenda to reach a 50 percent renewable energy share in the power mix by 2030, aligned with the 2023–2028 Philippine Development Plan.