A few weeks ago, the city government of Biñan, Laguna created a furor in social media.
Not because the LGU did something wrong, but because it did something right: an ordinance limiting the use of electric vehicles, particularly the e-bikes and e-trikes that have become very popular among Lagunenses since the Covid-19 pandemic. (Update: as of this writing, the Land Transportation Office is reportedly mulling a mandatory registration of all e-bikes and e-trikes in the Philippines.)
Some netizens, apparently, misconstrued the ordinance as a “total ban” on the use of these vehicles – and this was not helped by the increasingly negative perception of e-bikes and e-trikes in social media.
My take on this? Well done, Biñan City LGU. It’s high time we put a rein on these e-bikes and e-trikes that are now apparently lording our main thoroughfares, with drivers blatantly disregarding traffic rules and regulations.
-o0o-
One particular reason why e-bikes and e-trikes have become so popular is the (mistaken) notion that these vehicles don’t need to be registered with the LTO, unlike regular bicycles or tricycles.
In fact, that was the sales pitch peddled by some e-bike dealers, that there’s no need for these vehicles to be registered as they will be (in theory) only used inside barangay or subdivision roads.
E alam naman natin ang ugaling Pilipino: kapag nakita nilang hindi sila sinisita sa maling ginagawa nila, inaaraw-araw ang kabuktutan.
Social media feeds nowadays are filled with videos of these e-bikes and e-trikes being driven along national roads, and – in a few cases – even attempting to enter toll roads!
Not only that, they are driven by minors or persons without a valid drivers’ license, which meant that they don’t know (or perhaps deliberately ignore) traffic rules and regulations.
-o0o-
As we’ve said in a recent cover story in this newspaper, as far back as 2021, the LTO has already issued guidelines in the regulation and registration of all types of electric vehicles, including e-bikes and e-trikes.
In fact, many LGUs in Metro Manila and other provinces are now requiring e-vehicle owners to register their vehicles with the local government before they could be allowed to travel.
Biñan City must’ve been the first LGU with the balls to implement this ordinance regulating the use of e-bikes, as some proponents have admitted that they have faced strong opposition from e-bike owners.
And kudos for them to take the step that will ensure safer roads for us, despite the knowledge that this will be a (very) unpopular measure.
You’ve certainly lived up to one local politician’s definition of public service, as was explained to OpinYon Laguna more than a year ago:
“Ang politician kasi, ang iniisip lang niya, pulitika. That is, ‘kapag ginawa ko ba ito, mananalo ba ako? Kahit tama ang gagawin mo, makakaapekto ba ito sa boto ng tao sa akin?’ But when you are a public servant, hindi mo papansinin kung ano ang iisipin ng mga tao sa ginagawa mo. You have a purpose – lahat ng ginagawa mo, may output na gusto mong makita. Sa simula hindi magugustuhan ng mga tao, pero mare-realize nila na tama pala, na ito pala ang dapat mangyari.”
#UnCommonSense #JamesVeloso #Ebikes #Etrikes #LGU #LTO #Transport #OpinYonColumn #OpinYon #WeTakeAStand