Motorized tricycle (Philippines)

Along with the jeepney, the Philippine tricycle is one of the most common means of public or private transportation in the country, especially in rural areas.

Philippine tricycles are often confused with the similar tuktuks and auto rickshaws of neighboring countries.

Philippine tricycles evolved from motorcycles with sidecars used during World War 2 and are not derived from rickshaws.

The motorela, a regional variant of the Philippine tricycle with a centered passenger cab enclosing the motorcycle, is the most visually similar to a tuktuk, but differs in that it has four wheels, not three.

It is most likely derived from the Rikuo Type 97 military motorcycle used by the Imperial Japanese Army in the Philippines starting at 1941.

Americans tried to introduce it in the early 20th century, but it was strongly opposed by local Filipinos who viewed it as an undignified mode of transport that turned humans into "beasts".

This exemption is due to their classification as three-wheelers rather than tricycles, allowing them to operate on national roads without restriction.

[7][8] The motorela, locally nicknamed as "the mini jeepney", is a variant of a motorized tricycle predominantly used in Northern Mindanao, particularly in Cagayan de Oro and Bukidnon province.

They are used widely, especially in public markets, to carry small-scale cargo like fish, vegetables, water bottles, and even live animals.