December 1, 2025 | 9:58am
MANILA, Philippines — The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has postponed the enforcement of its plan to impound light electric vehicles (LEVs) operating on national highways, moving the start date from Dec. 1, 2025 to Jan. 2, 2026.
The deferral will give the agency time to release updated guidelines and conduct a nationwide information campaign on the forthcoming ban on LEVs — including e-bikes and e-trikes — along major thoroughfares, LTO chief Markus Lacanilao said in a video statement on Sunday, November 30.
“Kaya pansamantalang walang impounding operation habang nagpapatupad muna kami ng malawakang information drive upang bigyan ng sapat na panahon ang lahat na maunawaan at makasunod sa umiiral na regulasyon,” Lacanilao said. (Temporarily, there will be no impounding operation while we conduct an information drive to give everyone enough time to understand and comply with the regulation.)
LTO to issue updated guidelines
Lacanilao said LTO enforcers and staff will be deployed on major roads to educate the public on the correct use of LEVs. Updated guidelines will also be released, defining where LEVs are allowed to operate and where they are strictly prohibited.
The LTO said that beginning Jan. 2, 2026, “strict enforcement” will be implemented, with no extension to the grace period.
“Kasama rito ang apprehension para sa mga lalabag sa pagbabawal sa National Highway,” Lacanilao said. (This includes apprehension of those who violate the ban on National Highways.)
On Nov. 27, the LTO announced that LEVs would be banned from major roads beginning Dec. 1, with violators facing automatic impoundment of their vehicles. The new timeline supersedes that plan.
