PH and ASEAN EV groups converge to drive electric mobility forward

The ASEAN EV Conference 2026 opened today with government officials, industry leaders and electric vehicle associations from across Southeast Asia gathered to turn policy direction into investment and everyday adoption.

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The two-day conference, themed “Driving ASEAN Forward,” is jointly led by the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP), the Department of Energy (DOE), MERALCO, Meralco Power Academy and the e-mobility ASAP Project through Clean Air Asia. It follows the Philippine EV Summit held on 22 to 24 October and takes place during the Philippines’ 2026 ASEAN Chairship. 

EVAP President Willy Tee Ten told delegates that the Philippine EV industry has reached the point where coordination matters as much as technology, “No country can decarbonize alone. No country can build a complete EV supply chain alone. No country can train a future-ready workforce alone. We must move as one region, with one vision and one shared commitment to a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable regional economy.”

“This conference is intentionally designed to connect Philippine electric mobility priorities with the vast and exciting opportunities for regional cooperation. For the Philippines, this is a moment of great opportunity and great responsibility. We’re not here just to talk about buying more electric vehicles. We are here to examine how the Philippines can take its rightful and active place,” he added.

That regional view was echoed by Edmund Araga, President of the Asian Federation of Electric Vehicle Associations (AFEVA), who welcomed the international delegations with a challenge to ensure that the benefits of e-mobility transition reach all.

“Electric mobility is more than technological transformation; it is an opportunity to improve air quality, strengthen energy security, create jobs, attract investments and build more resilient transportation systems. However, realizing those benefits requires coordinated action across the entire EV ecosystem, from supportive policies and reliable charging infrastructure to financing, local manufacturing, supply chain development, and workforce readiness,” Araga cited.

Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Sharon S. Garin presented the latest EV adoption and charging infrastructure figures, and linked electric mobility to the country and region’s collective vision.

“We need closer cooperation with our ASEAN neighbors in four areas: charging interoperability, harmonized standards, technology transfer, and cross-border supply chains. Progress on these fronts means fewer market barriers, more competitive industries, and new markets for Philippine enterprises. That is the work before us over these two days. Policymakers, manufacturers, investors, and technology providers from across the region are in one room. In this room, let us leave with partnerships, investments, and commitments we can measure,” she explained.

“To the Department of Energy, the priority is clear: an electric mobility ecosystem that is accessible, reliable, and built around mobility consumers,” Garin said.

The conference also welcomed speakers from the Department of Transportation, Board of Investments, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in the Philippines, and more, collectively tackling energy, transport, industry, fiscal and climate policies in the region.

In the afternoon, AFEVA members and ASEAN country representatives shared market developments and discussed cooperation on manufacturing, charging standards, trade and investment. 

The conference continues on 12 November with four roundtables on transport modernization and business models, policy and social readiness, grid integration and charging infrastructure, and supply chains and sustainability, followed by a summit synthesis and closing remarks.