PHILIPPINES, LAOS PROMOTE ELECTRIC VEHICLES AS WEST ASIA TURMOIL SPIKES FUEL PRICES

By Vijian Paramasivam

PHNOM PENH, March 19 (Bernama) -- Regional governments are stepping up efforts to promote electric vehicles (EVs) amid uncertainty over fuel prices and supply due to ongoing tensions in West Asia, a major crude oil and gas producer.

From Laos to the Philippines, policymakers are accelerating EV adoption to reduce long-term reliance on fossil fuels and strengthen energy resilience.

On Wednesday, Laos government announced it will review and adjust excise tax rates to encourage the use of electric transport nationwide, a major step to reduce dependency on fossil fuels.

Meanwhile, in the Philippines, home to over 100 million people, Senator Win Gatchalian urged the government to expedite the transition of public utility vehicles to electric vehicles to shield the country from global oil shocks.

“There will be a significant reduction in the need for crude oil if the public transportation sector uses EVs,” said Gatchalian, Vice-Chair of the Senate Committee on Energy, according to the Senate of the Philippines’ website.

Rising and unpredictable fuel prices are already affecting economies and transport sectors across the region.

In Cambodia, about 15,000 auto rickshaw drivers in Phnom Penh are grappling with higher Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) costs.

The Ministry of Commerce announced that from Tuesday to Thursday, a litre of regular gasoline will cost 5,500 riel (US$1.37/RM5.40), a 5.7 per cent increase from 5,200 riel (US$1.24/RM4.89) over the past three days, while the price of diesel will cost 6,550 riel per litre, up 2.3 per cent from 6,400 riel.

Fuel prices in Laos jumped sharply since early March, with diesel rising by more than 33 per cent, reported Lao News Agency.

“The move is aimed at removing the barriers that have slowed electric vehicle adoption in Laos, where high prices and limited supply have made them less accessible,” said the government, reported Vientiane Times today.

Governments are tweaking their policies to reduce dependence on non-renewable energy as the sector is facing major volatility since the outbreak of the war involving Iran, Israel and the United States since February 28.

“It is a good time to promote EVs and to shift to green energy. It will help consumers because EVs are cheaper to maintain and more environmentally friendly.

“But countries must have the proper infrastructure to support the EV industry, like charging stations. We must also take into consideration the cost of electricity production in the long run, which will be expensive because of surging oil and gas prices,” Managing Director of Malaysia-owned MCLS Synergy Co Ltd, Syaiful Hazreen Hasan Nodin, told Bernama.

The company based in Phnom Penh is involved in selling TADA brand electric motorcycles.

-- BERNAMA