Telecommunications giant Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) announced this week that it will be adding electric vehicles (EVs) to its fleet.
The EVs will initially be assigned to selected service personnel handling home broadband installation and repairs within Metro Manila.
“As part of PLDT’s efforts to reduce our carbon footprint, we have developed a re-fleeting strategy that will pilot the use of electric vehicles. While the upfront cost of an EV may seem higher compared to vehicles powered by internal combustion engines, we considered the total cost of ownership and the benefit to the environment,” said Melissa Vergel De Dios, PLDT Investor Relations Head and Head of the Sustainability Office.
PLDT is expecting to add more EVs to its fleet as technology matures and with the improvements in related infrastructure, such as EV charging stations (EVCS).
The telco giant said efforts to use EVs in its operations highlight its commitment to help the Philippines meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), particularly SDGs 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and 13 (Climate Action).
Relative to PLDT’s efforts, the Senate approved a bill promoting the use of EVs in May, while the Department of Energy drafted its EVCS circular in March.