Manila: Electric vehicles (EVs) are exempted from the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program (UVVRP), more commonly known as number coding, the Department of Energy (DOE) maintained Wednesday.
According to Philippines News Agency, the DOE cited Section 25(a)(2) of Republic Act (RA) 11697, also known as the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA), which provides an exemption from the mandatory unified vehicular volume reduction program or number coding implemented by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and other relevant agencies.
"This exemption is valid for eight years from the Act's implementation and applies to all electric vehicles," the DOE stated. EVIDA was signed into law on April 15, 2022. The DOE released the statement following an advisory from the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) on Tuesday, requiring EV owners to secure a certification from the agency to be exempted from number coding.
DOE noted that to support the implementation of non-fiscal incentives under EVIDA, including the number coding exemption, the DOE issued Department Circular No. DC2023-05-0012, as amended by DC2025-09-0015, known as the Electric Vehicle Recognition Guidelines. The circular establishes the process for recognizing and classifying EVs, such as Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs), Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs), and Light Electric Vehicles (LEVs). The public can check the updated list of EVs through the EV Industry Portal, www.evindustry.ph.
Last September, DOE issued circulars that increased from four to six the classifications of EVs in the country, with the two new classifications identified as Range Extended EVs (REEVs), or the HEVs propelled by an electric motor only with a fueled power source specifically used for charging the RESS; and Fuel Cell EVs (FCEVs), or those with no tailpipe emissions that use a fuel cell to generate power. Stakeholders expect EV registrations to rise to around 35,000 by the end of 2025, up from 24,000 in 2024. As of last July, registrations had already hit over 29,000 units.
The DOE remains committed to the effective and harmonized implementation of the EVIDA Law and continues to collaborate with partner agencies, including the LTO (Land Transportation Office), MMDA, PNP-HPG, DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government), and LGUs (local government units), to promote the country's transition toward sustainable and low-emission mobility.
In a related development, PNP-HPG Director Col. Hansel Marantan addressed concerns at a press conference at Camp Crame, clarifying that their operation was not intended to harass legitimate owners of electric or hybrid vehicles. Instead, it aimed to crack down on motorists who illegally use green plates to dodge number coding schemes. He confirmed that vehicles with green plates would be flagged down to verify if the driver has proper certification from the DOE for exemption.
Marantan apologized for any inconvenience caused by his earlier statement, emphasizing that the crackdown was based on intelligence and public reports of motorists falsely registering vehicles as hybrids to obtain green plates and enjoy exemptions. He stressed that the HPG operation is driven by information and coordination with the LTO and DOE to ensure only officially recognized vehicles benefit from exemptions.
Vehicles suspected of misusing green plates have been identified through social media monitoring, and erring drivers will be issued tickets, with cases referred to the LTO for possible charges and license suspension. Marantan highlighted that having an electric-powered vehicle and a green plate does not automatically guarantee exemption from being flagged down.
