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The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) announced its support for the Land Transportation Office’s (LTO) plan to ban electric bicycles and electric tricycles from national highways.
MMDA chairperson Don Artes said the agency already has rules and regulations covering the use of e-bikes and e-trikes on major roads within Metro Manila, noting that the agency and the Metro Manila Council (MMC) issued a regulation in 2022 concerning major thoroughfares.
However, Artes clarified that the regulation of inner roads and areas outside Metro Manila falls under the jurisdiction of the LTO and the respective local government units (LGUs).
“In so far as inner roads are concerned, we are giving it to the local government units because they know where the e-trikes and e-bikes are safe to traverse,” Artes said.
He added that all other roads, particularly outside the National Capital Region, are the LTO’s jurisdiction, and the MMDA is awaiting the LTO’s finalized guidelines.
Artes affirmed that the MMDA would support the LTO should it decide to implement a total ban on the light electric vehicles (LEVs).
The LTO previously deferred its plan to impound e-bikes and e-trikes plying national highways, moving the start of enforcement to 2 January 2026.
LTO chief and Assistant Secretary Markus Lacanilao said in an earlier statement that the enforcement of the ban on major thoroughfares, originally set for 1 December 2025, was moved to the following month.
Lacanilao clarified that the concerns of e-bike and e-trike owners are being heard by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Department of Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez.
“Temporarily, there will be no impounding operation while we are conducting a comprehensive information drive to give everyone enough time to understand and follow our regulation,” Lacanilao said.
He added that LTO enforcers and personnel will be visible on roads to conduct the information drive and explain the proper and correct use of LEVs to the public.
