Marcos orders MMDA: Grace period before e-trike ban

FILE PHOTO: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. orders the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to give e-vehicles, such as e-bikes and e-trikes, as well as tricycles, pedicabs, pushcarts and tractor-drawn carts known as “kuliglig” a grace period before imposing the rule banning them on national roads. The ban took effect on Monday, April 15, 2024, and citation tickets were issued to violators starting April 17. PHOTO BY MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday ordered the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to give e-bikes and e-trikes, as well as tricycles, a one-month grace period before imposing the rule banning them on national roads.

“Ngayong araw na ito, iniutos ko sa MMDA  at sa lahat ng lokal na pamahaalan sa Metro Manila na bigyan ng palugit ang mga e-bikes, e-trikes, at iba pang apektadong sasakyan na dumadaan sa ilang tukoy na daan sa Metro Manila. Kailangan pang magbigay ng sapat na panahon para sa malawak na pagsisiwalat ng impormasyon hinggil sa ban na ating ipinapatupad,” said Marcos in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

(Today, I ordered the MMDA and all local governments in Metro Manila to give a grace period for e-bikes, e-trikes, and other affected vehicles that are traversing selected roads in Metro Manila. We need enough time to disseminate information about the ban.)

READ: MMDA: E-bikes, trikes banned on key NCR roads by April 15

The President said that e-bike and e-trike drivers cannot be ticketed or fined. He added that their vehicles should not be impounded during the grace period.

Should e-trike drivers be stopped on the road, Marcos said that they should only be directed towards the correct road and reminded of the MMDA’s new policies.

However, Marcos stood by the MMDA’s decision to ban e-trikes and specific e-bikes on major thoroughfares.

“Batay na rin sa rekomendasyon na aking natanggap, mananatiling bawal ang mga natukoy na sasakyan sa ilalim ng MMDA Regulation No. 24-022 series of 2024 sa mga piling pangunahing lansangan,” the President said.

(Based on the recommendation that I received, the aforementioned vehicles specified in the MMDA Regulation No. 24-022 series of 2024 will still be prohibited from select roads.)

Starting April 17, those caught using electric vehicles, particularly e-bikes and e-trikes, on national roads in Metro Manila were issued citation tickets as the ban took effect on Monday, April 15.

READ: MMDA drive vs e-vehicles, trikes on major roads nets 131

Under MMDA Regulation No. 24-022, 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” will be prohibited on national, circumferential and radial roads of the capital region.

The policy, however, also said that light electric vehicles such as pedal-assist e-bikes, e-kick scooters, and similar vehicles weighing less than 50 kilograms can still use these roads if they are inside established bike lanes or need to cross the road.

But, the MMDA added, the light electric vehicles should yield to all incoming traffic.

Violators of the rule shall be fined P2,500, while unregistered vehicles will be impounded.

In a video later posted on the Presidential Communications Office’s Facebook page after Marcos’ tweet, Marcos lamented the fine.

“Ang laking multa niyan, napakabigat niyan para sa kanila, so bigyan natin sila ng isang buwan para alam nila kung ano ba yung dapat nila gawin,” said Marcos in the video.

(That is such a hefty fine, that is heavy for them, so let us give them one month so they know what they will do.)