Is Trike Ban Anti-Poor?
After a two-day reprieve owing to the transport strike staged by opponents
of government's PUV modernization program, the Metropolitan Manila
Development Authority has begun enforcing the e-trike ban on major
thoroughfares of Metro Manila.
The MMDA issued Memorandum Circular No. 04 (Series of 2024) setting the
guidelines for implementing the ban on e-trikes and other conveyances from
national, circumferential and radial roads in Metro Manila.
Under the guidelines, two more thoroughfares were added to the 19 listed
earlier in MMDA Regulation No. 24-002 where the prohibited vehicles can't
traverse.
Added were Boni Avenue and Espana Boulevard.
The original list included Roxas Boulevard, Taft Avenue, South Luzon
Expressway, Shaw Boulevard, Ortigas Avenue, Magsaysay Boulevard/Aurora
Boulevard, Quezon Avenue/Commonwealth Avenue, A. Bonifacio Avenue, Rizal
Avenue, Del Pan/Marcos Highway/McArthur Highway, Recto Avenue, President
Quirino Avenue, Araneta Avenue, EDSA, Katipunan/C.P. Garcia Avenue,
Southeast Metro Manila Expressway, Elliptical Road, Mindanao Avenue, and
Marcos Highway.
The implementing guidelines also clarified the kind of e-bikes or light
electric vehicles as well as listed other conveyances that are banned.
Aside from e-trikes, banned are light electric vehicles including electric
kick scooter, electric bicycle, electric personal transport or other
similar vehicles weighing less than 50 kilograms.
Other conveyances banned include tricycles, pedicabsm Kuliglig, and push
carts.
The list of the banned vehicles give ban opponents reason to declare it's
anti-poor.
In news reports, opponents say the ban shuts out marginalized sectors from
using roads.
It makes it hard for the poor and lower incomed family who can only afford
e-trikes and e-bikes for personal mobility, as well as to help out with
their livelihood.
Also the fines are hefty, 2,500 pesos per violation as well as confiscation
of the e-trike or e-bike if the operator is unlicensed.
Manila Bike Commuter Janardan das Ladyong describes affordable e-trikes and
e-bikes as basically cars for the masses, used for going to the grocery,
the hospital, fetching kids from schools, and other ordinary uses.
Ariel Inton of the Lawyers for Commuters Safety and Protection points out
that many motorists chose to begin using e-trikes because of the lack of
public transportation and to save from high prices of fuel.
While the lawyer's group acknowledges the need for regulating the use of
e-trikes for better safety and order on the roads, Inton says MMDA should
also consult and address the concern of their owners.
Cristina Batalla of the Make it Safer Movement does not see the ban
reducing road crashes and traffic.
By prioritizing motor vehicles over more sustainable modes of personal
mobility, the MMDA is contributing to the worsening urban heat and air
pollution in Metro Manila, she adds.
She joined others in calling on the MMDA to reconsider the ban and Metro
Manila mayors to listen to people on the ground and pay deep attention to
how e-trike restrictions are impacting mobility and our environment in the
long run.
Whenever the anti-poor card is raised, government, especially local
government units, has a tendency toward leniency. Will the implementation
be strict and consistent? We'll soon find out.