Boracay Pushes Stricter E-Trike Regulation, Passenger Protection
By Jun N. Aguirre
With Boracay now operating on an almost entirely electric tricycle-based public transport system, local officials and industry stakeholders are calling for continued strict regulation to ensure the safety, quality and reliability of e-trikes serving residents and millions of tourists.
Former Malay Municipal Councilor Dante Pagsuguiron, who authored Municipal Ordinance 508-2002, or the “E-Trike Law,” said Boracay stands out as the only destination in the Philippines where public transportation has become 100 percent electric tricycle-based, making the island a model for cleaner tourism transport.
Pagsuguiron told Boracay Sun News in an interview last year that the shift to electric vehicles has significantly changed Boracay’s transportation landscape, but requires continuous monitoring to ensure that units meet safety and performance standards.
Boracay started implementing e-trikes as a major mode of transport in 2013, following clean energy transport plans initiated by the local government of Malay as early as 2010.
Fernando Delos Reyes, who introduced local production of electric tricycles in Boracay, said government agencies are strict in implementing quality assurance requirements for e-trikes.
He noted that the Land Transportation Office (LTO), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and Department of Energy (DOE) have regulatory roles covering vehicle registration, public transport operations, energy and charging-related standards.
Delos Reyes stressed that locally produced e-trikes must comply with applicable government standards rather than simply focus on appearance or passenger capacity. He has produced 40 localized e-trikes, some of which are already operating.
Aside from vehicle safety and quality, the local government is also addressing complaints involving public transport fares.
Following complaints raised by BSN readers about alleged fare overcharging, Boracay Sun News asked Malay Mayor Frolibar Bautista to comment on the matter.
Bautista said the Malay Transportation Office and Assistance Page on Facebook (/LGUMalayMTrOAP) accepts complaints from passengers, including tourists, and encouraged them to report incidents through the page. Passengers are advised to provide the date, time, location, vehicle information and other relevant details to help authorities verify the complaint.
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