Marcos orders grace period for e-trike penalties

MANILA, Philippines —  President Marcos yesterday suspended for one month the imposition of penalties on e-bikes, e-trikes and other vehicles barred from traversing national roads, citing the need to give drivers more time to adjust to the new policy.

“We have to give them the chance to know the new rules and how they will adjust. Besides, the P2,500 fine is huge, it is costly for them, so let us give them one month so they would know what to do,” he added.

But he clarified that the vehicles are still prohibited in some national roads under Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Regulation No. 24-022 Series of 2024.

“The grace period covers the non-issuance of tickets, penalties and impoundment of e-trikes,” Marcos said.

If drivers of the affected vehicles are flagged, they will only be informed about the roads they may use and the new rules designed to promote road safety and order, he added.

The ban, which started on April 15, covers the traversing of e-vehicles, such as e-bikes and e-trikes, tricycles, pedicabs, pushcarts and kuligligs on national roads, circumferential and radial roads in Metro Manila.

It is being enforced in 19 Metro Manila roads – Recto Avenue, President Quirino Avenue, Araneta Avenue, EDSA Katipunan/CP Garcia, Southeast Metro Manila Expressway, Roxas Boulevard, Taft Avenue, SLEX, Shaw Boulevard, Ortigas Avenue,
 Magsaysay Blvd./Aurora Blvd., Quezon Ave./Commonwealth Ave., A. Bonifacio Ave, Rizal Ave., Del Pan/Marcos Highway/MacArthur Highway, Elliptical Road, Mindanao Avenue and Marcos Highway.

Violators will be fined P2,500. Driver’s license will also be required for those who will drive electric-powered motor vehicles and tricycles.

The vehicles of drivers who cannot present their license upon apprehension will be subject to impoundment.

Meanwhile, confusion and excuses from apprehended motorists highlighted the second day of the government’s crackdown on light vehicles plying major roads in Metro Manila.

Personnel of MMDA towed around 15 e-trikes parked in front of an e-trike store along Quirino Avenue in Parañaque City, almost filling a tow truck.

Some owners of the seized e-trikes were left hapless despite resistance from authorities as they tried to pull back their vehicles.

Meanwhile, e-trike drivers also tried to avoid getting penalized by the same MMDA unit along Macapagal Avenue in Pasay City. They pointed out they had an agreement with the city government allowing them to use that road.

They also cried foul over the apprehensions, saying they were being deprived of their income.

The MMDA remained firm in enforcing the policy despite the confusion and the excuses expressed by apprehended drivers.

Meanwhile, some barangay officials also claimed being exempted from the policy after MMDA personnel caught them using e-trikes as service vehicles along EDSA and Taft Avenue on Wednesday.

“We explained to them that the MMC (Metro Manila Council) resolution did not include any exemption,” MMDA’s Traffic Enforcement Group chief Victor Nuñez said in an interview over radio dzBB yesterday.

On Wednesday, the MMDA recorded a total of 177 apprehensions that were mostly e-trikes and tricycles. Of that figure, 71 were impounded.

Meanwhile, Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan declared the suspension of the implementation of City Ordinance No. 8998, which included motorcycles in the list of vehicles to be clamped by the Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau (MTPB) if parked in restricted areas such as national roads and alternate routes.

According to her, the city government received complaints about the alleged lapses in enforcing and has directed the MTPB to look into the complaints.

Lacuna-Pangan also warned her constituents to avoid relying on posts on social media that did not come from the city government’s official channels. - Nillicent Bautista