TOYOTA Motor Philippines has asked the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to include hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and compact internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles in the 7,500 additional Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) slots opened for Metro Manila and nearby areas.
Earlier this month, the LTFRB issued Memorandum Circular 2026-084, reserving the additional slots for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) operating in Metro Manila and areas covered by the Metro Manila Urban Transportation Integration Study Update and Capacity Enhancement Project (Mucep).
The circular excludes conventional ICE vehicles, HEVs that are not plug-in hybrids, and other technologies outside the BEV and PHEV categories.
Vehicle eligibility will be based on registration and classification by the Land Transportation Office, as well as applicable government standards and regulations.
Toyota welcomed the opening of more TNVS slots but urged the LTFRB to broaden the eligible vehicle categories.
The automaker argued that HEVs are classified as electric vehicles under Republic Act 11697, or the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act. It also cited Executive Order 121, issued by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in July, which includes hybrids in the government’s Electric Vehicle Incentive Strategy.
Modern compact ICE vehicles with low-displacement engines had also achieved significant improvements in fuel efficiency and emissions reduction, Toyota pointed out.
“Including these vehicles in the options can benefit both the operators and the riding public,” the company said.
Toyota said it had written to the LTFRB to request a meeting on the proposal and was awaiting the agency’s response.
