Opening major Cebu City roads to e-vehicles pushed

Local

WITH fuel prices climbing amid a global oil supply crunch, a Cebu City lawmaker is proposing a stopgap measure that could soon put more electric vehicles on the city’s busiest roads.

Councilor Jaypee Labella said he will introduce a resolution seeking to temporarily allow electric tricycles (e-trikes), four-wheel electric carts (e-carts), and electric cars (e-cars) to operate along major thoroughfares.

The proposal is being positioned as a response to mounting pressure on commuters and transport operators as global oil prices rise, driven by supply disruptions linked to tensions in the Middle East.

“Every day we delay is a day more Cebuanos pay more for fuel they shouldn’t need in the first place. This resolution is Cebu City’s answer to the crisis,” Labella said.

If approved, the measure would open major roads to electric-powered vehicles, provided they meet basic regulatory requirements.

These include registration with the Land Transportation Office, valid driver’s licenses, and compliance with traffic rules enforced by the Cebu City Transportation Office.

Alongside the temporary authorization, the resolution would also push for a more permanent policy framework.

It directs the City Council’s Committee on Transportation, in coordination with the LTO, CCTO, the Department of Energy, and other stakeholders, to draft an ordinance or implementing rules within 60 days.

The planned policy is expected to define safety standards, operational limits, and how electric vehicles can be integrated into Cebu City’s transport system.

The move comes as rising fuel costs continue to ripple across the country, prompting calls from transport groups for relief and longer-term solutions.

Labella further noted that expanding the use of electric vehicles is seen as one way to ease the burden while reducing reliance on fossil fuels.(TGP)