Gov: Need to evaluate impact of EVs

Coming from the other side of the coin, the Cebu Provincial Government convened a “Stakeholders’ Consultation on EV Taxi Implementation” yesterday to address mounting concerns over the allocation of additional taxi slots for electric vehicles here in Cebu.

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Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro, presiding over the meeting, emphasized the need to carefully evaluate the potential impact of EV taxis on traffic, public convenience, and local taxi operations.

“Kung makaayo ba ni sa Probinsiya, ang kani’ng EV taxi considering nga grabi ang atong traffic situation diri. Dili lang kay kaliton sila’g impose nga naa’y mosulod nga EV taxi,” she said,

Representatives from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), electric vehicle operator Green & Smart Mobility (GSM), and the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) Cebu Chapter, led by Cordova Mayor Cesar “Didoy” Suan, attended the consultation.

Also present were members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, including Board Members Nilo Seno, Julius Anthony Corominas, and Stanley Caminero, Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak, and other concerned officials.

The session comes ahead of GSM’s pending application for a Certificate of Public Convenience scheduled for an LTFRB hearing on January 15 at 10 A.M.

Taxi operators, particularly the United Cebu Taxi Operators Association Inc. (UCTOA) and several veteran local operators, voiced strong opposition to GSM’s entry, citing unfair advantages and potential harm to their longstanding businesses.