Metro Manila LGUs formalize regulation of e-vehicles

February 29, 2024 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — All 17 local government units of Metro Manila will soon enforce ordinances regulating the use of electric vehicles and imposing fines on offenders.

The Metro Manila Council (MMC), composed of the mayors of the 17 Metro Manila LGUs, and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) came up with a resolution containing rules that would govern the use of e-bicycles, e-tricycles, kuliglig and e-scooters.

The MMC and MMDA will require users of e-vehicles to secure a driver’s license, according to acting MMDA Chairman Romando Artes.

Under MMDA Regulation No. 24-022 series of 2024, the agency banned e-vehicles along major roads under its watch, particularly circumferential roads such as Recto Avenue or C-1, Quirino Avenue or C-2, Araneta Avenue or C-3, EDSA or C-5, Katipunan Avenue and C. P. Garcia Avenue or C-5 and Southeast Metro Manila Expressway or C-6.

E-vehicles will also be prohibited along radial roads like Roxas Boulevard or R-1, Taft Avenue or R-2, South Superhighway or R-3, Shaw Boulevard or R-4, Ortigas Avenue or R-5, Magsaysay Boulevard and Aurora Boulevard or R-6, Quezon Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue or R-7, A. Bonifacio Avenue or R-8, Rizal Avenue or R-9, and Del Pan/Marcos Highway/MacArthur Highway or collectively R-10.

The ban also covers Elliptical Road, Mindanao Avenue and Marcos Highway, the MMDA added.

The MMDA would impose a P2,500 on e-vehicle users caught traversing these roads and impound the vehicles, Artes declared.

Meanwhile, San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora – also MMC president – said each of the 17 Metro Manila LGUs would pass their respective ordinances tackling similar prohibitions, as well as identifying more roads in their respective areas covered by the ban.

Artes pointed out that the rules may become effective by April this year as they have to be studied by the Land Transportation Office.