Trade Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual said in a speech delivered at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations -Italy economic dialogue on Wednesday that the Philippines can be Italy’s source of “green” metals such as nickel, cobalt, and copper.
Mr. Pascual said Italian EV manufacturers can take advantage of the zero tariffs on imported EVs in the Philippines. The Tariff Commission recommended zero tariffs to encourage greater take up of EVs. Mr. Pascual also said that the Philippines can collaborate with Italy on energy technology, specifically “digitally supported grids for dealing with intermittent power. We need such solutions for our small island grids, our off-grid communities, and our priorities on a national scale.”