The Department of Energy (DOE) said on Saturday, April 25, that electric tricycles (e-trikes) are now being utilized by local government units (LGUs) to ferry frontliners due to the lack of public transportation during the lockdown period.
![](http://newsbytes.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/e-trike1.jpg)
During the Laging Handa public briefing, DOE secretary Alfonso Cusi said 3,000 e-trikes were distributed by DOE to LGUs in 2019. Based on reported data of the DOE, more than 1,640 e-trikes are currently operating to serve the front-liners.
In Metro Manila, the cities that are using e-trikes to transport front-liners include the cities of Mandaluyong with 170 units, Pasig with 200 units, Malabon with 175 units, Pasay with 101 units, and Valenzuela with 250 units.
In Valenzuela, the e-trikes are also being used as market-on-wheels. LGUs in Laguna, such as Bay, Biñan, and Los Baños have rolled out a total of 120 e-trikes as free service for front-liners.
A total of 200 e-trikes in Carmona City were deployed to help the LGUs serve the front-liners, while 120 e-trikes are now utilized by Echague, Isabela, and 20 e-trikes in Tuguegarao City.
Aside from the reported data of DOE, the Manila city government is one of the first LGUs to deploy e-trikes to transport healthcare workers and front-liners. — Kris Crismundo (PNA)