MANILA – Come December 1, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) will unleash a no-holds-barred enforcement drive, impounding e-bikes and e-trikes caught zipping along national highways, as the agency doubles down on road safety in a bid to curb accidents from unlicensed riders and unfit vehicles. LTO chief Markus Lacanilao, fresh from Senate budget grillings, laid down the law Friday, framing the crackdown as a tough-love measure: “We understand that many of our countrymen will be angry, but our priority here is their security, their safety, and safety on the road—that they will not have accidents.”
The policy, rooted in a revived administrative order on e-vehicle registration, targets the misuse of these electric wonders on high-speed arterials like the North Luzon Expressway and South Luzon Expressway, where they’ve become rolling hazards without proper licensing. “So I said in my other interviews, it is okay if you are going to get angry with me, at least your children and your spouse will be able to go home safely, rather than having accidents because of the misuse of these e-trikes on national highways,” Lacanilao told reporters, his tone a mix of paternal resolve and pragmatic grit. Secondary roads get a gentler touch – no impoundments, just a five-day info blitz starting Dec. 1 to school drivers on the dangers, courtesy of LTO teams fanning out with flyers and friendly warnings.
But here’s the rub: Not every e-bike or e-trike makes the cut for the public fast lane. “Not all e-bikes are capable of being used by the public. Why? Because of safety concerns,” Lacanilao explained, nodding to LTO and Philippine National Police data showing these vehicles’ role in rising mishaps. Registration’s on the table for compliant models, but the bar’s high – think sturdy builds, proper brakes, and no Frankenstein mods that turn toys into terrors. Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez chimed in with a call to local government units (LGUs): Get the word out, or risk more chaos. Lacanilao plans a letter to Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla to rope in the DILG for a nationwide nudge, ensuring every barangay hall echoes the safety sermon.
For the everyday hustlers – from last-mile delivery daredevils to tricycle titans scraping by – it’s a jolt to the system. E-vehicles exploded post-pandemic as affordable lifelines, but without licenses or roadworthiness checks, they’ve morphed into menaces on major routes. The LTO’s olive branch? That grace period on backroads, buying time for tweaks and tests before the big roads become no-go zones.
As the holiday rush revs up, Lacanilao’s stance rings like a starter’s pistol: Safety first, fury second. In a nation where roads are roulette wheels, this impound imperative might just be the brake pedal we’ve all been missing – even if it means a few sparks fly.