The Land Transportation Office (LTO) is pushing for mandatory registration of e-scooters in the Philippines. This new alternative form of transport has increasingly become more popular not just in the Philippines but in other countries as well, which have necessitated similar registration efforts.
According to the LTO Assistant Secretary Edgar Galvante, The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has submitted a draft to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) proposing to legally require e-scooters, kick scooters, and e-bikes that can run at a speed of 25kph and for registration. Yes, the same registration required for cars and motorcycles.
However, this may not be easy to pass as the DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade has conflicting views regarding this proposal.
“Yung rehistro ng mga sasakyan pinostpone natin. In-extend natin. Eh bakit ngayon pati e-scooter gagawing motorsiklo? Tignan natin ang malawak na pananaw diyan. Pandemiya ho ngayon ito (Car registrations were already postponed. We extended this. Why should we now register e-scooters like motorcycles? We need to look at the big picture. We’re in a pandemic),” Tugade said,
LTO Assistant Secretary Edgar Galvante revealed that the submitted draft was based on Republic Act 4136, which identifies the vehicle types allowed on the roads and was made through consultations with electric vehicle distributors and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
Currently, e-scooters are part of a small category of vehicles that do not need a certificate of registration to be driven. However, it must be listed with their respective local government units (LGUs). In addition to this, the LTO also recommends that kick scooters only be allowed in subdivisions and closed compounds.
The LTO is really pushing for the mandatory registration of e-scooters in the Philippines, but as it stands now, it is yet to be reviewed by the DOTr Road Sector, Legal Affairs, and the Office of the Secretary.
