On Monday, November 8, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) turned over 25 e-trikes to the provincial government of Iloilo City. At the same time, the agency also turned over a set of cashless buses—the first of their kind outside of Metro Manila.
“Layon ng turn over na ito na mas maraming tao ang makabiyahe at makapunta sa kanilang trabaho, hindi lamang sa pamamagitan ng mga pampublikong transportasyon. Makatutulong din ito sa pagtitiyak ng kalusugan at kaligtasan ng mga road users—ang mga siklista at riders, para sa kanilang biyahe at hanapbuhay,” said DOTr secretary Art Tugade regarding the e-trikes.
The buses, meanwhile, will ply routes from Iloilo to Caticlan, Roxas, and Kalibo. Tugade added: “Itong ating mga proyekto sana’y samantalahin at pakinabangan upang lahat tayo maging masaya, ligtas, at maunlad ang pamumuhay, negosyo at ekonomiya hindi lamang sa Iloilo City kundi sa buong Visayas”
The secretary also highlighted the benefit of utilizing cashless payments on buses in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that it is a good measure for avoiding the highly infectious virus.
Considering that Iloilo is currently a model example of a commuter-friendly city, these new vehicles should further augment the region’s public transportation capabilities. Iloilo residents, expect to see these e-trikes and buses in your vicinity soon.
