Group urges LTO to temporarily suspend registration of e-bikes amid COVID-19 pandemic

The president of the Clean Air Philippines Movement Inc. appealed to the Land Transportation Office to temporarily suspend the registration of electric bikes (e-bikes) in this time of COVID-19 pandemic.

"I-suspend muna ngayon habang mayroon tayong pandemic COVID-19 and para mapakinabangan kaagad ng ating mga laborers at empleyado na walang masakyan papunta sa kanilang mga trabaho," Dr. Leo Olarte said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV Wednesday.

"Mas maganda na mayroon tayong tinatawag na electric bicycle para magagamit ng mga laborers at empleyado natin habang wala pang vaccine," Olarte added.

Biking is seen as an essential mode of transportation during the community quarantine as mass transport vehicles are limited.

According to Olarte, their group has one million electric bikes which can be purchased by private companies.

Firms can then provide the bikes for free to their employees or let them pay it on installment basis, he said.

"Mayroon tayong available na one million e-bike for the new normal, puwede nating ibigay kaagad 'yan sa mga private companies o employers at ibigay din nila 'yan sa kanilang mga empleyado," Olarte said.

"Hindi ito dole out, 'yung employer ang makipag-usap sa ating mga partners dito and then 'yung employers pag nakuha na nila 'yung e-bike, ibibigay nila sa mga employees nila. Puwede nilang ibigay na libre 'yan o installment," he added. —AOL, GMA News