ONE of the government’s meaningful responses to the oil crisis was the May 4, 2026, announcement by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), that would offer loans to help members buy bicycles and light electric vehicles (LEVs — e-bikes, e-scooters, cargo e-bikes, etc.). At a time when fossil-fuel cars and motorcycles are expensive to use and public transport seriously insufficient, bicycles and LEVs are the way to go.
Under the Ginhawa Bike and E-Mobility Loan (GBEL), qualified government workers can borrow up to 100 percent of the cost of the bicycle or LEV, capped at P300,000 and payable over 36 months at five-percent annual interest, with no service fees. These days a decent bicycle or e-bike can cost P35,000 to P80,000. For a unit that costs P70,000, this translates to a monthly payment of about P2,100 over 36 months — much less than what many urban Filipinos spend on transportation.
Continue reading with one of these options:
Ad-free access
P 80 per month
(billed annually at P 960)
- Unlimited ad-free access to website articles
- Limited offer: Subscribe today and get digital edition access for free (accessible with up to 3 devices)