Manila's public transport is going electric — and local drivers won't have to pay anything upfront to join in. ACMobility, a company under the Ayala Group, is building a network of electric vehicle charging hubs across Metro Manila through a partnership with Basic Energy Corporation. The goal is to power electric buses and taxis so everyday Filipinos can travel on cleaner, cheaper energy.
The initiative is called the Iwas Taas Pamasahe Transport Solutions Program. The name means "Beat the Fare Hike" in Filipino, and it tackles one of the city's biggest headaches: expensive, polluting public transport. Through this program, local operators can switch to electric buses with zero upfront costs. After five years of payments, they own the buses outright.
"Our transition to electric mobility can only be complete if we also electrify public transport," said Carla Buencamino, head of mobility infrastructure at ACMobility. "Through our partnership with Basic Energy, we are building an EV charging network that powers not just private vehicles but also public transportation fleets from North to South."
The first new charging hub is opening at the Total gas station on the northbound South Luzon Expressway. It will feature high-speed direct current fast chargers, which can top up a battery much quicker than a standard wall outlet. More locations are planned along EDSA — Manila's busiest highway — as well as Newport City in Pasay, E. Rodriguez and Visayas Avenue in Quezon City, and several spots in Mandaluyong, Cainta, Marikina, and Sumulong Highway. Existing hubs already operate at EcoOil Alabang and the North Luzon Expressway Total station.
On the commercial side, ACMobility is also supplying its ChargeFleet technology to Grab Philippines. The system manages charging for electric GrabCars and electric GrabTaxis through a smartphone app called Evro. Drivers get automatic charging credits in real time, so they can charge up during shift changes without fumbling with physical cards or waiting in line.
"At Grab, electrification is not just a sustainability effort. It is a kabuhayan commitment because it helps make livelihood on the road more resilient amid a volatile fuel market," said CJ Lacsican, country head of Grab Financial Group Philippines. Kabuhayan means livelihood or means of earning a living.
The Grab partnership is being watched closely as a test run. If it works well, the same system could spread to other ride-hailing and taxi operators across the country — potentially putting hundreds or thousands of cleaner vehicles on Manila's crowded roads.
"Our goal is to serve as the ecosystem enabler that provides holistic support to both the private and public transport sectors," Buencamino said. With charging stations popping up along the country's busiest routes, Manila may be on its way to becoming a city where clean, quiet electric buses and taxis are the norm rather than the exception.