TO meet surging commuting demands and accelerate the nation’s transition toward green transport, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has authorized 8,750 new transport network vehicle service (TNVS) slots across Metro Manila, the Ilocos Region, and the Bicol Region.
Approved under the guidance of Department of Transportation Secretary Giovanni “Banoy” Z. Lopez, the expansion responds to expanding commercial centers and heightened tourism activity, which have created a deficit in safe, technology-enabled public transport.
The largest allocation is designated for Metro Manila, which receives 7,500 new slots.
However, LTFRB Acting Chairman Atty. Greg G. Pua, Jr. emphasized that all 7,500 slots in the National Capital Region are strictly reserved for electric vehicles—specifically Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs).
Under LTFRB Memorandum Circular 2026-084, standard internal combustion engines and basic non-plug-in hybrids are ineligible, with eligibility tied directly to Land Transportation Office registrations.
This eco-friendly restriction aligns with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s target of making electric vehicles comprise half of all road vehicles by 2040.
Sustainable transport targets were also integrated into provincial allocations:
- Ilocos Region: Allocated 650 slots across four provinces (LTFRB MC 2026-88), divided equally between internal combustion engines and electric vehicles. Pangasinan receives 200 slots, while Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and La Union each receive 150.
- Bicol Region: Granted 600 new slots (LTFRB MC 2026-86), with half also dedicated exclusively to electric vehicles.
Pua noted that these additions were informed by traffic studies, passenger feedback, and market monitoring that pointed to an acute shortage of ride-hailing units in rapidly growing urban and tourist hubs.
“We in the LTFRB are sensitive to the request and demand from the people, and the opening of the slots is also in support of the government’s aggressive economic push across the country,” Pua said.
Applications for the new allocations will formally open following the publication of the respective memorandum circulars in newspapers of general circulation.
