BACOLOD City – The city government is eyeing the regulation of e-bike operations in Bacolod.
Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, on Friday, March 1, held a dialogue among concerned stakeholders after several punong barangays aired sentiments that e-bike drivers reach out to them on being apprehended.
“Tanan nga stakeholders ginpatawag ta para mabatian nila. Makapamangkot sila, then we can find solutions sa ila concerns. Mga kapitan ang nagapalapit kay they say ang ila mga constituents ginadakop, so siling ko pungkuan ta para maklaro na tanan,” Benitez said.
It is learned that e-bikes were apprehended following Land Transportation Office (LTO) Administrative Order (AO) No. 2021-039, which establishes guidelines for the classification, registration, and operation of all types of electric vehicles in the Philippines, including specifications, requirements, penalties, and the repeal of inconsistent orders.
According to Councilor Al Espino, Sangguniang Panlungsod committee on traffic chair, said the city has existing traffic ordinances, but the provisions for e-bikes are not specified.
He said one way to regulate e-bikes is to formulate an ordinance as the counterpart of the said LTO AO.
It was reported earlier that the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office is intensifying its campaign to apprehend erring pedicabs and tricycles plying along the national road in this city in relation to the Department of Interior and Local Government’s Memorandum Circular No. 2023-195./PN
