ILOILO City – Councilor Plaridel Nava’s proposed ordinance regulating the operation of electric bikes-turned-electric tricycles got the backing of Mayor Jose Espinosa III.
“For the greater good,” said Espinosa, referring to public safety being balanced with the livelihood of e-bike drivers and operators.
According to Nava, he recently had a meeting with around 50 e-bike operators.
“Kon indi kamo pagdakpon okay man lang kay palangabuhian niyo ina. Pero hinali mag-operate ang gobyerno kag dakpon kamo, wala kamo basulon because indi man pwede nga mabyahe ka lang nga wala permit and franchise,” said Nava.
According to the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Western Visayas, e-bikes are not designed to be public utility vehicles and thus must not be used as such.
While he supports the proposed ordinance, Espinosa said he is against apprehending e-bikes already operating like tricycles.
“I understand where they’re coming from. They’re just like our trisikad drivers trying to eke out a living to put food on their tables,” he said.
Today, Nava’s transportation committee in the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) will formally hold a dialogue with e-bike operators.
“This is a very crucial issue. May tapungulay sa dalan. Trisikad drivers won’t allow e-trikes to take their routes,” said Nava.
Tricycle drivers and operators, too, are complaining, added Nava.
LTO Region 6 recently launched a campaign against these e-bikes.
“We will impound e-bikes picking up passengers. E-bikes should be used only as a private mode of transport but even so, not on major streets,” said LTO-6 spokesperson Riza Otayde.
Operated with rechargeable batteries and not petrol, e-bikes must not also be converted into tricycles or attached with sidecars, she added./PN
