INTRAMUROS, Manila — Amidst the prevailing high costs of fuel, former Ilocos Sur governor Luis 'Chavit' Singson announced that he will be deploying 40 units of his 100 percent Philippine-made electric vehicles (EVs) in Metro Manila to provide free rides and help alleviate the transportation woes of the riding public, mostly workers and students going to their respective destinations.
The deployment of the EVs will be done in coordination with the transport group Liga ng mga Transportation at Operators sa Pilipinas (LTOP) headed by its national president Orlando Marquez Sr.
Expressing his gratitude to the former provincial governor, Marque disclosed that the units, manufactured by the Luis Chavit Singson Manufacturing Group of Companies (LCSMGC), have already been issued certificates of compliance (CoC) by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
“What we lack only is the permit to travel that will be issued by the Department of Transportation (DoTr). If this will be given, we will deploy all the 40 units for free rides in metro manila,” Marquez clarified.
Prior to the announcement of the deployment of EVs, Governor Singgson revealed that the his LCS Group has already manufactured several units and also put up facilities now accessible with dedicated showroom and service centers opening this week.
The units were designed as Pambansang Pampublikong Sasakyan ng Pilipinas (PPSP) that was launched 52 years ago by then First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos and which patent design is now approved internationally under the name of LTOP's Orlando Marquez Sr., who claimed that several local groups have already placed orders for the EV units.
Charging infrastructure for the EVs are currently being expanded to support their adoption with two new public charging stations now operational at the LCSMGC showroom and at the Limketkai Center parking area .
Plans have likewise been completed for the installation of eight more charging facilities across Misamis Oriental, Bukidnon and Lanao del Norte by the end of June 2026. The Department of Energy (DoE) is providing partial subsidies for charging point installations in the region.
For those individuals or transport cooperative interested to procure the EV units, free training on their maintenance and operation is being conducted weekly at the showroom. Bank loan procedures as well will be applied for dropping-and-substitution applicants, who can avail of the government subsidy, while non-dropping applicants will have to allocate downpayments for the units.
Singson spelled out the financing application processes for the EVs, as follows:
- Zero-down-payment for dropping-and-substitution applicants;
- Interest-free financing for locally produced electric vehicles is open to individual drivers, transport operators, and cooperatives with a straightforward application process designed to be accessible.
The key requirements and steps include:
Eligibility Criteria:
- Must be a Filipino citizen, at least 21 years old and not over 65 years old upon loan maturity
- For individuals, valid professional driver’s license (for e-jeepneys/e-tricycles) or regular driver’s license (for e-motorcycles), with proof of income or livelihood
- For cooperatives and operators, valid business registration, SEC/DTI papers, and list of active routes (if applicable)
Required Documents
- Duly accomplished application form (available at the Masterson Avenue showroom or downloadable via the official EV facility website)
- Valid government-issued ID (passport, driver’s license, UMID, or PRC ID)
- Proof of residence (utility bill, rental contract, or barangay certification)
- Proof of income (payslips, bank statements, or barangay certification of livelihood)
- For transport units: Proposed route plan (for e-jeepneys/e-tricycles) or business plan (for delivery vehicles)
Application Steps
- Submit requirements in person at the Cagayan de Oro showroom or via online portal
- Initial assessment completed within 3 working days
- Interview and validation – For individual applicants, a brief in-person or online interview; for cooperatives, a site visit may be conducted
- Approval notification sent via SMS or email within 5 working days of assessment
- Sign agreement and vehicle turnover – Once approved, sign the financing contract and schedule vehicle pick-up or delivery.