The announcement of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) on the necessity of obtaining a driver's license and vehicle registration for electronic bicycles (e-bikes) and electric tricycles (e-trikes) has drawn mixed reactions among residents in Lipa City, Batangas.

The proposed regulation mandates e-bike and e-trike users to obtain a driver's license and register their vehicles with the LTO. 

As of this writing, the LTO 4-A is studying the proposal, with a technical working group focused on the matter.

Jonard Fernandez, 27, supports the move. He is a sales consultant at an e-bike shop and has been using an e-bike for almost two years.

"Ako, e-bike user din, kapag may license ka po kasi, maii-train ka doon so alam mo po ang mga traffic rules natin. Medyo prevent tayo sa accident kasi kapag may license po kayo, talagang matuturuan kayo ng ayos doon, so sa akin po, okay lang po iyun," Fernandez said.

He shared that since the rise in popularity of e-bikes following the pandemic, it has brought significant convenience and cost savings, particularly in reducing expenses like gasoline.

However, he noted a decline in the number of e-bikes being sold at their shop.

"Kumabaga, tama lang [ang bilang ng bumibili], kasi nababalitaan nga raw nila ‘yung rehistro, so may mga doubt din sila," Fernandez said.

Augusto Virrey, a tricycle driver, also supports the move.

"Natural lang iyon, nagamit sila ng kalsada eh, at talagang dapat lang sila'y magpalisensya [at] magparehistro. Biruin mo nga, e-bike ka, nariyan ka sa highway na iyan, hindi ka naman mabilis tumakbo [pero] biglang-biglang liliko, mahirap," Virrey said.

Meanwhile, Justina Ferry, a vendor and e-bike user, opposes the idea.

"Hindi po ako pabor kasi areng nga pong aming pinaghahanap buhayan lang namin mag-asawa. Marami pa pong gastusin pa po at tsaka may edad na rin naman po siya... Malapit lang din naman po kami [sa mga pinupuntahan namin]. Marami pa pong magagastos [pagnagparehistro pa], ay para po sa amin ay ayaw ko po, sana," Ferry said.

According to Lipa City Public Order and Safety, it is high time to tighten the monitoring and prohibition of e-bikes and e-trikes on national highways, especially since some drivers are unlicensed and lack proper registration.

"I think it's about time na kailangan talagang ipa-rehistro kasi gumagamit sila ng ating pampublikong kalsada eh, dapat alam nila talaga yung batas-trapiko na kailangan masunod hindi lang basta sasakay.`Yung mga minor, hindi rin talaga dapat [nagdadala ng behikulo]," Engr. Marlon Bryan Manalo, a Lipa City Public Order and Safety Officer, said.

If the proposal is enacted into law, the Lipa City Public Order and Safety Office said that they will closely monitor and strictly enforce its implementation.

"'Yan po ay para sa safety ng lahat ng motorista, hindi lang po para sa sakay ng e-bike, pati po yung ibang motorista na ka-share nila sa kalsada. Kailangan po nating paghigpitan dahil po safety ang ating priority dito. Magkakaroon po ‘yan ng ordinance na i-a-ammend po iyan ng traffic ordinance para po sa pagtaas ng penalty ng mga ganiyan," Manalo added.