Tricycles to be phased out in Boracay by 2015

BORACAY ISLAND, Malay, Aklan- The local government of Malay, Aklan is planning to phase out the operation of tricycles in this resort island by 2015.
Councilor Dante Pagsuguiron, chairman of the Committee on Environment of the Malay Sanggunian, said the approval of the said local legislation is on its final stage.
"We are phasing out the operation of tricycles and we will be replacing it with the operation of electronic tricycles (e-trikes). Already, the local government has ordered from the Department of Energy (DOE) 100 units of e-trikes to be distributed among the drivers through loan," Pagsuguiron said.
Aside from the hundred units of e-trikes to be provided by the local government, another 100 units have also been requested by the Boracay Land Transport Multi-Purpose Cooperative from the DOE.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is currently helping also the study for the possible financing of units by the drivers. Aside from the financing, the contractor is also reportedly interested in battery-swapping scheme.
Last year, some ten e-trike units have already been given go-signal by the local government to operate as model showcase for the drivers.
"We are phasing out tricycles because they cause pollution in Boracay while the use of e-trikes is being considered environment friendly. We are also requesting resorts to use electronics in their transports," he added.
The local government of Malay has registered some 550 tricycles operating in this resort island.