Motorcycle taxi Angkas says potential competitors are welcome

Ride-hailing pioneer Angkas said Wednesday it welcomes potential competitors in the motorcycle taxi sector.

“For me competition is very, very good for consumers,” Angkas chief transport advocate George Royeca told reporters on the sidelines of the Corporate Governance Conference in Makati City.

“Kung dati maraming against sa motorcycle taxis, nakakataba ng puso na ngayon po marami na ang gustong sumali, tumulong at sumuporta sa pagsusulong ng motorcycle tax sa Pilipinas,” Royeca noted.

Indonesian ride-hailing firm Gojek and local player JoyRide PH are seeking to challenge Angkas. The motorcycle taxi industry is waiting for authorities to extend the six-month pilot run which is set to expire this December 26.

“There were new players that were being evaluated, we [don’t] get to hear kung ano ‘yung magiging decision but they are evaluating new players,” Royeca said.

In May, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) allowed motorcycle taxis, including Angkas, to operate for six months starting in June.

Angkas has 27,000 biker-partners in its fleet and has around three million downloads since it began in 2016.

Angkas taking an optimistic stance that the DOTr’s technical working group will come up with a favorable decision allowing motorcycle taxis to continue operations while a law legalizing their business is still pending in Congress.

There are at least four senators that filed a bill legalizing the operations of motorcycle taxis or “habal-habal,” including Grace Poe, Ralph Recto, Imee Marcos, and Sonny Angara.

“While inaayos ang batas hoping na maextend ang pilot,” Royeca said. “Based on the evidence of pilot, positive naman ... Ayaw namin pangunahan, but we are just hoping for positive comments from their end.” —VDS, GMA News