MMC okays P2,500 fine to keep e-bikes, e-trikes off national roads

‘E’ FOR EXCLUDED | Electric tricycles, or e-trikes, and other unregulated electric vehicles like these seen near SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City are prohibited on major roads in the National Capital Region, based on a resolution approved by the Metro Manila Council (MMC) on Wednesday. (Photo by MARIANNE BERMUDEZ / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — The Metro Manila Council (MMC), through the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), on Wednesday approved a resolution prohibiting e-bikes, e-trikes and similar types of transportation on major thoroughfares in the National Capital Region (NCR).

Under MMDA Regulation No. 24-022 series of 2024, the use of e-vehicles, such as e-bikes and e-trikes, as well as tricycles, pedicabs, pushcarts, and tractor-drawn carts known as “kuliglig” on national, circumferential, and radial roads in Metro Manila will be banned.

MMDA acting Chair Romando Artes said the fine imposed on those violating the prohibition will be P2,500.

“Due to the proliferation of e-vehicles, the MMC deemed it imperative to regulate and penalize those who will traverse the national roads using such means of transportation,” Artes said during a press conference at MMDA head office in Mandaluyong City with MMC president and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora and Malabon City Mayor Jeannie Sandoval.

The ban shall be enforced on the following Metro Manila roads, which are under the jurisdiction of the MMDA:

Recto Avenue, President Quirino Avenue, Araneta Avenue, Edsa, Katipunan/CP Garcia Avenue (C5), Southeast Metro Manila Expressway (C6), Roxas Boulevard, Taft Avenue, Osmeña Highway, Shaw Boulevard, Ortigas Avenue, Magsaysay Boulevard Aurora Boulevard, Quezon Avenue Commonwealth Avenue, A. Bonifacio Avenue, Rizal Avenue, Del Pan/Marcos Highway (Mel Lopez Boulevard)/McArthur Highway (R-10), Elliptical Road, Mindanao Avenue and Marcos Highway (Marikina City).

A P2,500 fine will be imposed on violators, said Metropolitan Manila Development Authority acting Chair Don Artes (center), who faced the press with MMC president and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora and Malabon City Mayor Jeannie Sandoval. (Photo by NIÑO JESUS ORBETA / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

License required

Artes said a driver’s license will also be required for those driving electric motor vehicles and tricycles. He added that those who cannot present their license upon apprehension will have their vehicles impounded.

Artes and Zamora said the primary consideration in passing the resolution was concern for the safety of e-vehicle users and other motorists.

READ: MMC passes resolution banning e-bikes on major roads

“We are not totally banning the use of e-vehicles; we just want to regulate it since it has been a common cause of traffic and road crash incidents,” Artes said.

Last year alone, the MMDA said, at least 554 road crash incidents involving e-vehicles were recorded in the NCR.

“We won’t wait for these figures to blow up before we regulate it, considering the increasing number of users of these kinds of vehicles,” Artes said.

Zamora noted that many e-vehicle users do not have driver’s licenses, which means they do not have the proper training and required skills to drive vehicles on public roads.

Local ordinances

“We even have a video of a person, who looks like a [elementary] school kid, driving an e-trike with fellow children [on board]. Is this what we want on our roads?” the San Juan mayor asked.

The regulation is set to be implemented in April following an information and awareness campaign. It will be circulated for the mayors’ signatures and should take effect 15 days after publication, Artes added.

Meanwhile, Metro Manila local government units will craft their respective ordinances for the secondary and other inner roads under their jurisdiction.

‘Unified’

Zamora said the MMC, through the local government chief executives, will ensure that the ordinances to be passed relative to the MMDA regulation will be “unified” to avoid confusion.

The MMC, which serves as the governing board and policymaking body of the MMDA, is composed of the MMDA chair, the mayors of the 16 cities and one municipality making up the capital region (or their representatives), and the presidents of the Metro Manila vice mayors and councilors’ leagues.

Sitting on the council as nonvoting members are the Cabinet secretaries heading the transportation, public works, tourism, budget, and housing departments, as well as the chief of the Philippine National Police.