Motorcycle taxis can keep operating sans law legalizing them – solon

As far as Marikina City Representative Bayani Fernando was concerned, motorcycle taxis like Angkas could continue to operate in the absence of a law that would legalize their operations.

"Kapag ako may motor, pwede kong iangkas kahit sino. Pwede kong iangkas ang aking kapatid, aking kaibigan. So what's there to prevent them from operating?" Fernando, who was a former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chief, told reporters in a Monday interview.

"Simply, they will not be classified as public utility, but they can operate," he added.

The Department of Transportation’s inter-agency Technical Working Group (TWG) on motorcycle taxis announced earlier that it was terminating its pilot study on motorcycle ride-hailing operations. 

TWG chairperson and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Board Member Antonio Gardiola Jr. explained that they were ending the study due to the legal case filed by one of the players.

“Parang magulo eh. We are resorting to legal rigmarole sa nangyayaring ito. File sila ng kaso so nai-impede ang study. We cannot gather data because of actions being taken by one of the players so it is better to terminate it,” said Gardiola.

With the termination of the study, all motorcycle taxis would be considered illegal and would not be allowed to operate. Gardiola added that they would start apprehending violators next week.

‘Anong mahuhuli sa kanila?’

Fernando, however, did not think violators could be arrested without a law.

"Kung walang batas e, anong mahuhuli sa kanila?" he argued.

The lawmaker suggested that motorcycle ride-hailing companies could just "self-regulate" and compete with each other by providing better services.

"Sa aking suggestion na regulasyon, lahat sila kinakailangan identified kung saan grupo sila kasama. Halimbawa Angkas and they have their number. Ang idea nun is kinakailangan pagbutihin nila para maraming sasakay sa kanila, pagalingan sila ng serbisyo," Fernando said.

"Yun na lang, self-regulation na lang nila. Pagalingan sila ng safety," he added.

Fernando also wanted motorcycle taxi services to regulate their speed to further ensure the safety of their consumers.

"For safety, huwag papayagan yung mas mataas na cc (cubic centimeter). Yung sobrang lakas na motorcycle kasi may tendency na mag-overspeed yan, delikado. Sa akin hanggang 125 cc lang, pwede kang mag-angkas," he said. — DVM, GMA News