News: Senator Proposes Perks for Hybrid Vehicles

**ghosthunter** · August 26th, 2009 09:58 PM

http://www.tsikot.com/senator-propos...drid-vehicles/

[SIZE="4"]Senator Proposes Perks for Hybrid Vehicles
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Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri proposed Tuesday a measure seeking to provide incentives to the manufacture, sale and importation of hybrid vehicles in the country.

Senate Bill No. 3397, or an Act Providing Incentives to the Manufacturer, Sale and Importation of Hybrid Vehicles, encourages public support for the development of the hybrid car industry in line with the government’s alternative fuels program.

Zubiri noted that government launched the program in an effort to reduce the country’s dependence on imported oil, and to provide cheaper and a more environment-friendly alternative to fossil fuel.

“With the continuing rise of fuel cost and the imminent decline of extractable world oil deposits, the demand for alternative transportations is expanding,” Zubiri said.

“Hybrid vehicles not only provide better fuel economy that result in added savings for consumers, but also offer lower greenhouse gasses emissions,” he added.

SB 3397 proposes that any individual, business partnership or corporation engaged in the manufacture sale or importation of fuel-saving hybrid cars, including its parts, be exempted from import duties, Customs, tariff duties, and excise, value added tax and ad valorem taxes.

It also seeks the creation of an inter-agency council that will regulate and control the grant of tax exemptions to the manufacturers, sellers or distributors and importers of hybrid cars based on the conditions and regulations which the council will later set up.

The inter-agency council will include officials or representatives of the secretary of finance which will act as the council chairman; secretaries of energy, science and technology, and trade and industry; and the Customs commissioner as members.

The grant of tax exemptions will undergo periodic review by the council or every five years from the date the law takes effect.

**ghosthunter** · August 26th, 2009 10:04 PM

Somehow I am getting visions of rich high ranking government people buying expensive imported large SUVs and similar with massive tax and import duties exemptions on the fact that its a hybrid vehicle.

Why that vision? Well, it because I saw a month ago a TAHOE in Makati with the word "HYBRID" plastered on it's doors on both sides. A truck bigger than the Ford Expedition as a hybrid is not really an improvement.

And why limit the incentives to hybrids? Where are the incentives for alternative fuels?

**tidus1203** · August 26th, 2009 10:37 PM

Time to get that Highlander Hybrid

**uls** · August 26th, 2009 11:45 PM

gawa narin sila special lane sa mga major roads for hybrids only

**niky** · August 27th, 2009 04:15 PM

Originally Posted by uls

gawa narin sila special lane sa mga major roads for hybrids only

Since a dual-fuel vehicle is also a hybrid, technically and by letter of the law... I'm all for this.

Also... give me my tax discount on the Lynx, damnit! Papa needs new shoes. :hysterical:

**fourtheboys96** · August 28th, 2009 05:02 PM

they should cover all "clean vehicles" and not only hybrid vehicles.

we should start with incentives for the manufacture of such vehicles. the incentives for sales will naturally follow.

**frenchtower** · August 29th, 2009 02:59 AM

I think the intent is noble but I honestly believe it's not going to solve RP's pollution problem or dependence on foreign oil.

If RP is serious about addressing too much dependence from imported oil, I just hope they adopt Brazil's energy solution as a possible alternative rather than what's currently being proposed.

Too many buses, jeepneys, etc. who are major pollutants vs. a small percentage of hybrid vehicles? IMHO, the imbalance is obviously self serving and biased.

**fourtheboys96** · September 1st, 2009 09:56 AM

hybrid vehicles (especially hybrid electric) is just one of the solutions. it cannot solve the whole problem but it can definitely contribute positively.

maybe we can tap our natural gas reserve as a bridge towards using biomass-based fuels.

**ghosthunter** · September 1st, 2009 12:55 PM

Originally Posted by fourtheboys96

hybrid vehicles (especially hybrid electric) is just one of the solutions. it cannot solve the whole problem but it can definitely contribute positively.

maybe we can tap our natural gas reserve as a bridge towards using biomass-based fuels.

Tap our gas reserves? We can't even get our act together to fuel the few CNG busses running on SLEX!