A soft engine hum glides down the street of Jacinto. Gone are the roars and ballistic smoke clouds of old. Instead, it now carries passengers like a modern carriage—compact, electric, and unmistakably a part of the urban rhythm.

Three silver five-peso coins are then lent to the driver, a silent gesture of gratitude and farewell. This is the everyday dynamic of e-trike and e-bike drivers maneuvering through the curbsides of the city from dawn till dusk.

But beneath circling routines lies a question: do they actually know where they are headed amid the uncertainty the system brings?

The Philippine Institute for Development Studies reported that e-trikes are now rapidly filling up the roads in the country and fuel about 56.76% of all registered electric vehicles. Its purpose wheels on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and pave paths to industrialization.

On a national level, the government has been encouraging the drift towards using e-vehicles, as stipulated in the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA). The number of e-vehicles registered with the Land Transportation Office has reached 11,950, of which 92.4% are e-trikes and e-bikes, according to a report by the Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department in 2021.

However, in Davao City, they put a hold on their engines, as there is no local ordinance that recognizes them as public utility vehicles (PUVs). Given the situation, the City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) labels them as “unauthorized,” especially for passenger loads on main roads.

Engines “vs” or “and” electricity?

Before e-bikes and e-trikes paraded lined Jacinto, stretching to the streets of Bonifacio, Ponce, and Juan Luna, traditional tricycles paved the road as main racers. One runs on electrons, the other on fuel, but both are still transportation if they are to be streamlined.

Then how do e-trikes stand out in the urban flow?

“I believe it can give commuters more options depending on where they are going and how much they are willing to spend,” Nike Dueñas, a second-year AB Psychology student, shared her sentiment.

Having both on track does not necessarily reverberate competition or over-saturation; rather, these expand availability for transportation.

“In terms of speed, I would rather ride e-trikes than traditional trikes (specifically the manually pedalled tricycles), especially when going back to school or going to places in a rush,” Kahl Deriada, a second-year BS Computer Science student, emphasized.

To confirm, Richard Alfar, an e-bike driver since 2022, along with his partner Ate Lea Bianca Fusin, have observed that there is a leaning preference towards them. 

“Dili sila musakay sa sikad, kay naa pa man sikad sa karon, so mamili ang mga pasahero kung gusto nila sa e-trike sila.”

The couple also shared how arguments tend to happen between e-bike and e-trike drivers due to the lack of a system. Without rules, drivers, improvise a “turno” system: whoever is first in line gets the first passenger until all seats are occupied. 

“Para walay samok, gina ingnan namo ‘ma’am nauna man gud turno to’,’ so ang pasahero muingon nga ‘dili ko masakay sa iyaha,’ so ang buhaton na lang namon kay gusto man siya musakay sa e-bikes. Sample, kami man ang nasunod, mananghid nalang mi sa una. ‘Kami nalang, kwaon nalang sa namo ni ha’ para magsinabtanay ba kay masuko man gud ang nauna kay turno turno lage,” Fusin stated.

All roads lead to none

The lack of authorization of e-vehicles leads them to park in the grey zone. With them parking too long in such a zone, directions become grey too with the lack of official road maps.

Looking at the other lane, jeepneys and other PUVs have designated routes and loading and unloading areas that ensure predictability to other road users. A major obstacle to the widespread use of e-vehicles is the lack of dedicated lanes, parking spaces, and charging stations.

Alfar and Fusin elaborated that e-bike and e-trike drivers are only granted a license when they are to modify them into ruskab units, which are uniformed with locally recognized tricycle-type public transportation vehicles. 

However, there was an instance when their vehicle was confiscated by a Land Transportation Officer (LTO). With their vehicle being hooked off the road, another hurdle they faced was that they were only able to claim it by two o’clock in the morning, without having any idea what offense they made, as it was taken without any explanation. It was only for them to find out that their e-bike was a “hindrance.” 

“Karon naa pud silay gi issue. Duha ka biodata ug certification sa barangay ug magbayad na pud ka ug P200 sa membership…ang nagpa-meeting man sa amoa kay ang presidente [of the association of e-bike drivers] diri ug ang kagawad [Barangay 32-D].”

It was only within the barangay level that these vehicles were recognized and approved, as they were asked to meet the aforementioned requirements, but still, they are prone to being charged by LTO officers.

“Dako ang tabang… Kung dili siya bawal nga lugara nga ni. Kani nga lugar, pwede. Approve sa kapitan, approve sa Santa Ana. Approve sa LTO. Okay nah siya. Pero kani (e-bike) bawal man ni. Bawal ba, so kami gasunod nalang mi sa ilahang gusto.” Ate Fusin expressed dismay

Battery full, wallet empty

The struggles of e-bike drivers never stop on highways. At the end of the day, it continues to linger at the brink of their homes.

“Naay time nga magkita mi ug P300. Car plan P150. P150 nabilin. Ang singkwenta bayad pa nimo sa pag-charge sa battery, so pila ang nabilin? P100,” Fusin broke down their expenses.

The costs for maintaining their e-bikes consume more of their accumulated income, leaving them with only P100 at hand. 

“Wala man gud mi kuryente, so naga pa charge mi sa silingan lang, so singkwenta ang bayad. Mao lang gihapon, bisag naa kay kuryente, bayad lang gihapon,” she added.

Limited access to electricity compels e-bike drivers to rely on informal charging arrangements, leading to additional and recurring charges. 

“Didto nalang mi ga balance sa pagkaon lang. Sa mga sud an… kay dili na man kaya. Ang importante maka charge ka, makabayad ka. Kay kung dili ka makacharge, dili man ka maka income kay diIi man makalarga ang imong e-bike, so mas priority jud nimo ang car plan ug ang battery…So bahala ang kaon, i-control nalang, Tipid tipid na lang,” She further revealed.

Toppled by the occurring economic crisis, basic necessities are often compromised just to sustain a livelihood that sustains them. They may be able to traverse every curb of the downtown with a fully charged e-bike, but it leaves their stomachs rumbling.

Watt should be done?

Despite the bumps e-trikes encounter along the way, tottering on the non-existing system that should have been mechanized for them, commuters still continue to wait along the sides of streets.

“On a day-to-day level, drivers are able to earn a living from it while students get a relatively affordable and accessible way to commute,so it serves its purpose for both parties,” Dueñas insinuated.

For drivers, it serves as a source of income by serving the very purpose of having e-tricycles dispersed on the streets.

“It is a much better value [e-trikes] because with traditional trikes, you sometimes have to pakyaw or charter the whole vehicle if you are the only passenger,” Deriada echoed.

Practically speaking, e-trikes are actually more low-cost, especially for individual commuters. Considering its size catered for only two persons, it no longer requires a whole bunch of passengers to fill the seats to transport in one go.

“On a larger scale, since e-vehicles do not rely on fuel, they already contribute less to carbon emissions compared to traditional modes of transport, and their growing use reflects a gradual shift toward more modern and sustainable transportation, which aligns with the goals of industrialization,” Dueñas said.

The government must start running its pedals on mechanizing a system for e-bikes and e-tricycles due to their growing proliferation and demand by the commuters themselves–a part of a larger framework for developing humane, affordable, and environmentally friendly public transportation. If ever this is granted, these e-drivers could now drop off their next Atenean student right at the gates of the Jacinto entrance, knowing where they are now headed next—without having to compromise another three silver coins.