This morning when we were on our way to bring our son to school, we met a mother recklessly riding an e-bike. Why did I find her driving reckless? Just to give context, while the e-bike’s speed is relatively lower than regular vehicles, it was more her behavior and decision-making that led me to propose that e-bike drivers like the one I met this morning they should be too. subject to the process of obtaining driving licenses.

According to the Land Transportation Office or LTO, a driver’s license is “an official document issued by the Philippine government to certify that a person can legally operate or drive a motor vehicle.” It is proof that a holder of this license has undergone the necessary procedures and assessments to qualify him to drive the type of vehicle according to the category of driving license he has acquired.

Typically, those learning to drive secure a learner’s licence, but those with little driving experience would normally apply for a non-professional licence. Based on the LTO portal, in addition to being at least 18 years old and having held a learner’s permit for at least one month, the applicant must have taken and passed the practical driving course from an LTO licensed driver, LTO Driver’s . Education Center, LTO Accredited Driving School or LTO Accredited TESDA Training Center. In addition, the applicant must have passed the Automated Theory Test and the Practical Driving Test.

Based on my experience as a holder of a non-professional driver’s license, we are aware and aware of the rules of the road that we must apply whenever we drive a vehicle. It might sound discriminatory, but I know that since most e-bikes only ride on minor roads and streets, they haven’t really experienced what it’s like to follow serious road rules and regulations.

As per the LTO website, RA 11697 of the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act or the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA) requires Filipinos who own electric bicycles to properly register them with the LTO and “in some cases, they must have a driver’s license.”

With more and more e-bikes becoming a convenient mode of transportation, especially in barangays and cities, the authorities need to rethink how to regulate them and more importantly educate the riders before allowing them to operate and share the road with other ordinary vehicles.