LTO eyes banning unregistered e-vehicles from major roads
MANILA, Philippines — The Land Transportation Office (LTO) is now looking into banning unregistered electric vehicles (e-vicles) along major thoroughfares, its chief told a Senate hearing on Wednesday.
Vehicles running under 25 kilometers per hour are currently not required to register with the LTO.
“But as you said, medyo nabahala rin po kami,” LTO chief Vigor Mendoza II Mendoza said during the hearing of the Senate committee on justice joint with the public services.
(But, as you said, we are also a bit worried now.)
He was responding to Senator Francis Tolentino, chairman of the justice panel, who asked about the proliferation of e-vehicles even along major streets in the metropolis.
The LTO chief then disclosed the agency’s proposal to have a policy change involving e-vehicles which they will discuss with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) next week.
“We’ll be proposing a policy change sa DOTr na huwag ng basehan ang speed ng sasakyan but the use of vehicle,” Mendoza said.
(We’ll be proposing a policy change to the DOTr not to use the speed of the vehicle as a basis for regulations but the use of the vehicle.)
Besides, he said, the law is clear that any motorized vehicle used on the roads must be registered with the LTO and the driver must also have a license.
“E kung nasa Edsa na po yun, as you said Buendia e kelangan covered po yun, kailangang rehistrado. So this is a policy change that we’re looking at,” Mendoza added.
(And if it’s already on Edsa, as you mentioned, it needs to be covered; it must be registered. So, this is a policy change that we are looking at.)
If the proposal is approved, he said, all e-vehicles must secure an LTO license first before they are allowed to use the major roads.
“E ‘yun hong mangyayari, huwag ho silang dadaan sa mga major thoroughfares natin o major streets, ‘no. Hindi man kailangang Edsa, kahit Timog or Buendia, ‘pag sila dumaan dun, e kelangan they will have to comply with any other laws applicable to all motorcycles as well,” the LTO chief said.
(They shouldn’t pass through our major thoroughfares or major streets. It doesn’t have to be Edsa; even when they pass through Timog or Buendia, they need to comply with any other laws applicable to all motorcycles as well.)
Mendoza, meanwhile, ensured that all types of e-vehicles — whether two-wheel or four-wheel — would still be granted incentives.
“Pero yung usage lang po ang iko-kontrol po sana ng LTO,” he said.
(Only the usage will be regulated by the LTO.)
He likewise assured motorists that the LTO could still accommodate the registration of e-vehicles.
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