The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and Land Transportation Office (LTO) on Thursday, February 15, bared their plans to require electric motor vehicles to be registered.

This came after the use of e-trikes and e-bikes on major thoroughfares has been prohibited since they slow down traffic and threaten public safety.

“[M]ga nakikita nating tricycles, e-trikes na nakikita natin sa ating mga pangunahing lansangan na one ay nagpapabagal ng daloy ng traffic at second ay may safety concerns,” MMDA chief Romando Artes told reporters in a press conference.

He added that electric vehicle sellers often use the absence of license and registration as a selling point which he considered a problem when enforcement was involved.

“Kung nag-violate, paano namin huhulihin? Wala kaming maisyuhan ticket dahil wala namang license, hindi rin namin pwedeng i-charge yung vehicle dahil hindi rehistrado,” he said.

Artes underscored looking into amending the LTO’s Administrative Order (AO) 2021-039 or the guidelines in the classification, registration, and operation of all types of electric motor vehicles to regulate the use of electric vehicles in national roads.

“Ang isang pinaguusapan dito [ay] yung pagre-rehistro po ng ating mga electric vehicles,” LTO chief Vigor Mendoza said.

Mendoza explained that it was unnecessary for electric vehicles running at 25 kilometers per hour to register under LTO, but the agency was planning to change it.

“Pero sa mga suggestions ng local government units, we will take a second look on this and propose the appropriate measures para sa ganun ma-regulate po natin nang husto yung paggamit ng mga sasakyang ito sa ating major thoroughfares,” he said.

The LTO chief added the need for electric vehicle owners to have their licenses.

“Kasama na po diyan yung taong nagmamaneho sa e-bike and e-trike [...] kasama na po diyan yuung pag-require na merong lisensya galing dun sa LTO,” he said.