One Meralco Foundation has turned over an e-trike charging station in Valenzuela. This generous donation was presented to the Mulawinan Centro E-Trike Operators and Drivers Association. It is located at the Tricycle Terminal along Mulawinan Street, making charging more practical for drivers. And it also provides members with extra income.

The majority of the reactions were positive, but some also stirred up confusion. Some claim that there’s a “nationwide ban” on e-trikes, and even e-bikes were being dragged. Is the LTO actually making e-trikes obsolete? Is the program by Meralco, DSWD, and Valenzuela all for nothing?

Let’s check the facts. According to the Land Transportation Office, the ban only affects e-trikes on major roads such as Roxas Boulevard, Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA), C5 Road, and Quirino Avenue to Magallanes and to South Luzon Expressway (SLEX). There was no mention of nationwide eradication for these small electric vehicles.

Any ordinance published regarding the prohibition on other road classifications is under municipal ruling or the government body. It only affects the city or the area that they serve.

Valenzuela City, for instance, regulates the use of e-trikes and e-bikes. The units are put into two separate categories. The LGU requires driver’s permits specific to the unit type, with different requirements and rules.

E-bike and e-trike drivers, you can breathe a sigh of relief. It is not getting a total ban.

In the case of the e-trike charging station in Valenzuela City, it is not located on the main road. If we refer to the LTO website, Mulawinan Street ticks the boxes for a barangay road—and not a national primary road or national highway. The donors are not tolerating e-trike drivers nor going against the LTO’s wishes.

Fake news often starts as a misinterpretation that goes out of context. Spreading accurate information is crucial to avoiding confusion and frustration among the public.