AUTHORITIES in Mandaue City are tightening enforcement of public space regulations, standing firm on their e-bike ban along major roads while imposing stricter rules on vendors operating near cemeteries.
Hyll Retuya, head of the Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (Team), said the City continues to prohibit e-bikes on highways, citing safety concerns as enforcement intensifies.
At least four e-bikes were impounded during a morning operation near the University of Cebu–Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue following reports of continued violations.
Public complaints
“Despite recent news that e-bikes might be allowed in some areas, here in Mandaue City we are firm in not allowing them to operate, especially along highways,” Retuya said.
The operation was launched after public complaints, with authorities deploying personnel to intercept violators. Some riders, however, managed to flee.
Retuya said violators face a P5,000 fine, with impounded units released only upon payment.
“If you get impounded, you pay the fine. If you’re caught again, you pay again,” he warned.
He added that enforcement remains challenging, with some riders reportedly defying or even challenging authorities.
Beyond defiance, Retuya cited safety risks, noting that many e-bike riders lack proper documentation and exhibit reckless behavior on the road.
“They drive haphazardly and weave in and out of traffic, affecting disciplined drivers,” he said.
While e-bikes may be tolerated in subdivisions, they remain strictly prohibited on major roads.
“Once they go out onto the highway, that’s where they get impounded,” he said.
Retuya also pointed out that many e-bikes currently lack proper registration, following the suspension of registration processes in recent years.
Vendors outside cemetery
Meanwhile, the City Government clarified that vendors outside the St. Joseph Roman Catholic Cemetery in Barangay Guizo will be allowed to continue operating, but only under stricter conditions.
Mayor Thadeo Jovito Ouano said there is no directive to remove vendors, contrary to claims circulating online.
Instead, vendors may continue earning a livelihood as long as they remain mobile and do not use the area as a place of residence.
“They can still sell, but mobile — not that they’ll make it their sleeping quarters,” Ouano said.
The policy was agreed upon with priests of the National Shrine of Saint Joseph, following concerns that some vendors had begun staying overnight and turning the area into informal living spaces.
Ouano also cited sanitation concerns, saying the area had become “a bit dirty,” prompting the City to enforce stricter rules, particularly in a site frequently visited by families.
Under the arrangement, vendors will be limited to selling appropriate items such as candles and flowers, while fixed or semi-permanent setups will be discouraged.
Enforcement is expected to begin with warnings and clearing operations, especially against those staying overnight.
The mayor stressed that the goal is not to penalize vendors but to restore order and proper use of public spaces.
“That’s our agreement with the priests, that it’s mobile, not a sleeping area,” he said.
Despite tighter rules, Ouano emphasized that the City recognizes the vendors’ need to earn a living.
The developments reflect Mandaue City’s broader push to balance public safety, sanitation and livelihood as it steps up regulation of roads and public spaces. / ABC