MANILA: E-bicycles are no longer allowed to use major thoroughfares in the National Capital Region (NCR).

Through Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Regulation No. 24-022 series of 2024, e-bikes and e-tricycles as well as tricycles, pedicabs, pushcarts, and kuligligs are prohibited from using the region’s national, circumferential, and radial roads.

Based on the Metro Manila Council-approved resolution, operators of the aforementioned vehicles shall also be required to secure driver’s licenses.

Below is the list of roads under the MMDA jurisdiction where the ban shall be enforced:

• Recto Avenue
• President Quirino Avenue
• Araneta Avenue
• Epifanio delos Santos Avenue
• Katipunan/CP Garcia
• Southeast Metro Manila Expressway
• Roxas Boulevard
• Taft Avenue
• Osmena Highway (South Superhighway)
• Shaw Boulevard
• R5: Ortigas Avenue
• Magsaysay Boulevard/Aurora Boulevard
• Quezon Avenue/Commonwealth Avenue
• Andres Bonifacio Avenue
• Rizal Avenue
• Del Pan/Marcos Highway/McArthur Highway
• Elliptical Road
• Mindanao Avenue
• Marcos Highway

According to MMDA Acting Chairman Atty. Romando Artes, violators will be slapped with a P2,500-fine. On the other hand, vehicle impoundment awaits those who will fail to present their driver’s license upon apprehension.

“Due to the proliferation of e-vehicles, the MMC deemed it imperative to regulate and penalize those who will traverse the national roads using such means of transportation,” Artes claimed.

According to him, the primary consideration in passing the resolution is to ensure the safety, not just of e-vehicle users, but of other motorists, as well. “We are not totally banning the use of e-vehicles; we just want to regulate it since it has been a common cause of traffic and road crash incidents,” he emphasized.

In 2023 alone, the MMDA recorded 554 road crash incidents involving such electrified units.

“We won’t wait for these figures to blow up before we regulate it considering the increasing number of users of these kinds of vehicles,” Artes explained.

The implementation of the regulation is set to be implemented in April following an information and awareness campaign that will be rolled out soon.

Meanwhile, each Metro Manila local government unit will craft their respective ordinances for the secondary and other inner roads under their jurisdiction.

For his part, MMC President Francis Zamora (who also serves as mayor of San Juan City) said that the NCR local chief executives will ensure that the ordinances to be passed relative to the regulation will be unified to avoid confusion.
 
Malabon City Mayor Jeannie Sandoval has expressed support for the regulation and for its effective implementation.

Photos from Metropolitan Manila Development Authority

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