• CHERYL G. CRUZ
The moratorium on the apprehension of unregistered electric vehicles, especially e-bikes and e-tricycles, plying the streets of Bacolod City has been extended for 30 days.
Mayor Alfredo Benitez, in his memorandum to the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) dated May 24 but made public May 27, said the moratorium extension for 30 days on the apprehension and issuance of citation tickets, citing violations for unregistered electric vehicles, aims to “provide the necessary time to develop comprehensive regulations” on the operations of e-bikes and e-tricycles in the city.
This is also “pending amendments to pertinent city ordinances relating to regulations of e-bike/e-tricycles operations,” Benitez said in his memo to BTAO officer-in-charge Patrick Lacson.
Benitez’s memo was signed on the day the supposed crackdown on illegal e-bikes/e-tricycles resumed May 24.
The mayor said May 17 that he had met with punong barangays and other stakeholders and reminded all to abide by Memorandum Circular (MC) 2020-036 of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
The memorandum prohibits tricycles, pedicabs, and motorized pedicabs or e-bikes from operating on national highways, Benitez had said, adding he also reminded the barangays to submit accredited e-bike operators in their respective areas.
“The BTAO will apprehend those e-bikes without proper permit starting on May 24. Ini tanan para sa safety sang aton mga commuters kag drivers sa aton dalanon,” Benitez earlier stressed.
The DILG has called on local chief executives to reorganize or re-convene their Tricycle Task Force to update the Tricycle Route Plan (TRP) that would include penal provisions for violators.
The TRP must contain the schematic map of tricycle routes; install visible and appropriate signages, marks for lanes, and other safety measures to guide and protect all vehicles; and the penalties to be imposed on violators, among others. | CGC
