The Board of Investment said Friday it approved the production of “Weigen,” a three-wheeled vehicle designed by Teraspan Inc. of China.
It said the three-wheeled vehicle was perfectly designed to provide easy and affordable mobility to individuals at a time of social distancing and limited public transportation. The agency made the decision amid a broader campaign to help businesses keep their workers and goods moving unhindered through quarantined communities.
The BOI said non-essential travel for Filipinos is already allowed in areas without quarantine. It said that in quarantined areas, passage would be permitted to workers conducting work activities inside the area, such as transporting goods.
Minimal checks will be placed on vehicles crossing into quarantined areas, with private vehicles required to show company ID when moving across checkpoints. Passage will also be permitted to workers in informal sectors who are engaged in essential activities, provided they display either ID or proof of transaction such as receipt from a supplier.
“All of this will mean that motorcycle, car and shuttle buses alike will be allowed to pass across even quarantined communities with minimal friction or delay,” it said.
Trade Undersecretary and BOI managing head Ceferino Rodolfo said the continued movement of goods and workers is an essential part of the economic recovery plan.
“We are determined to do everything we can to help businesses of all kinds resolve any issues they have with their supply chain or workforce,” he said.
Rodolfo said the project is considered very relevant during the pandemic. “As soon as it starts operating and selling its initial units of ‘Weigen’ three-wheeler engine-power units and three-wheeler electric vehicles, it will provide solo personnel mobility options at a time when social and physical distancing is of utmost importance,” he said.
“Even under GCQ, the need for mobility is undiminished and as such, we welcome affordable and reliable means of transportation and delivery like these,” Rodolfo said.
The motorcycle market in the Philippines is the fifth largest in the world. Data showed that sales of motorcycles grew by 8 percent before the pandemic.
The government imposed lockdowns on production and distribution centers during the pandemic. The BOI said a strong recovery was expected for the rest of 2020.
