Another challenge that needs to be anticipated is how we can develop a road sharing culture that will make our existing roads safe for two, three, four or more wheeled vehicles
One of the more positive side effects of the three-year pandemic is that many people all over the world shifted to bicycles and motorcycles to get from point A to point B.
The deadly first variants of the COVID 19 virus forced strict mobility restrictions, paralyzed the public transportation system, and disrupted the whole ecosystem, thereby creating a demand for a viable mode of getting around to do essential errands.
A 2021 Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey found that approximately 25 percent of households use bicycles and one in five households use their bikes for necessary trips such as commuting, shopping for groceries and other needs, and to get them to wherever they wanted to go.
SWS data also showed that 20 percent of households owned at least one bicycle compared to only 5 percent who owned four wheeled vehicles. This means cycling households outnumber those that own cars by a 4:1 ratio.
The surge of bikes on the road because of its accessibility to the masses has sparked a move to build a sharing infrastructure in the existing road system.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced in May 2023 they are going to expand the building of a protected bike lane network from the current 564 kilometers in Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, Metro Davao to 2,400 kilometers by 2028.
Now that the pandemic is over, the traffic jams and air pollution from all the fossil fuel- powered vehicles in Mega-Manila are back.
However, the mass transportation system of the metropolis is still in disjointed state and the commuting public must struggle with inconvenience and sit out precious hours of their lives going to work and back home.
The rising price of fuel is another factor that is pushing more Filipinos to shift to electric-powered vehicles (EV) that has the appeal of having zero emissions which works well for addressing climate change of the planet and no more expensive top ups in the gas station.
Last year, Republic Act 11697 or the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA) was enacted to promote the development of e-vehicles industry that will serve this clear trend towards zero-emission vehicles.
Complementing this law is the Comprehensive Roadmap for the Electric Vehicle Industry (CREVI) that government regulators are now crafting.
This will spell out the guidelines for incentives to attract investors and importers, and the prospective users of electric vehicles.
This is indeed an important policy move to align with the administration’s pronouncements of transforming the country into a green and blue ecosystem, which is commendably aligned to global efforts to reduce carbon emissions causing temperature rise and extreme weather and the destructive consequences of climate change.
However, there is some misalignment in policy that needs to be rectified as pointed out by our convenor in CitizenWatch Philippines, Atty Christopher “Kit” Belmonte regarding tariff policies on the importation of electric vehicles that need to be amended. In particular, Executive Order 12 provides a five year temporarily exemption from tariff duties for the importation of electric powered vehicles excluded two or three-wheeled vehicles, or the more affordable e-bikes from the 30 percent import tax.
In a published statement, Atty Belmonte said government should encourage more Filipinos to invest in more environment friendly transportation, as well as create incentives for them to make this shift and that all the indications point to the increased use of electric two-wheeled vehicles.
The data is clear on how many more Filipinos are using two-wheeled transports compared to four wheeled vehicles that only the well-off can afford.
So, it really does not make sense to penalize the majority of our working population for opting to invest their limited and hard-earned resources in e-bikes as their main mode of transportation.
Is there such a strong lobby from the motorcycle industry to keep the tariff barriers for e-bikes to protect market demand?
Given this global trend for zero-emissions, a more logical strategy would be to aggressively develop an e-bike industry that can transform a huge motorcycle riding population to shift.
I am sure even cyclists (like me) will seriously consider e-bikes, especially for longer and hilly rides. Imagine the cleaner air and quieter streets when this happens.
There is also some confusion on the Land Transportation Office Administrative Order 2021-039, which is supposed to set guidelines on the use of electric-powered vehicles in the Philippines.
Apparently, there are some e-bikes being sold in the grey market that can exceed the 50kph speed limit and have become a serious safety hazard and questions on whether users of these should be registered and if driver’s license should be required.
The LTO needs to study this carefully and come up with a new order with safety as a priority.
Another challenge that needs to be anticipated is how we can develop a road sharing culture that will make our existing roads safe fall two, three, four or more wheeled vehicles.
The biggest brands of vehicle manufacturers are already investing heavily and are actually producing their new models of hybrid and pure electric powered vehicles. Though costs will initially be high for early adapters, the prospect of developing an EV industry in the Philippines is an exciting economic and environmental prospect.