House panel seeks moratorium on adding more MC taxi players in Metro Manila

Amid the rise in motorcycle road accidents, the House Committee on Metro Manila Development (CMMD) is seeking a moratorium on further increasing players in the Department of Transportation (DOTr)-led pilot study on the two-wheeled vehicle’s viability as a mode of public transportation.

In particular, CMMD vice chairperson and Manila Representative Joel Chua emphasized the importance of safety in any pilot study concerning motorcycle taxis. 

“The most important and relevant parameters in any pilot study on motorcycle taxis feasibility study is the safety of motorcycle riders, their passengers, and everyone else on the roads. This is very important considering lately, I’ve been noticing on social media maraming nagvi-viral na accident sa motorcycle,” Chua said.

The lawmaker said this prompted CMMD to propose a moratorium on the addition of further motorcycle taxi players in Metro Manila.

Currently, the DOTr-Technical Working Group MC Taxi Pilot Study allows only three players to operate, namely Angkas, JoyRide, and Grab-led Move It.

Quezon Representative Reynan Arrogancia, on the other hand, said he supports the expansion of the motorcycle taxi program as it would help address the country’s transportation problem.

Arrogancia, vice chair of the House Committee on Transportation said that while car taxis are a fixture in the National Capital Region, the same situation cannot be said in other urban centers in the provinces.

"In the provinces, most ordinary people cannot afford to buy or rent cars or SUVs. Access to digital platforms for hiring transportation is likewise limited. PUJ routes are not as expansive and are also limited. The only affordable ways to get from point A to point B are by tricycle and motorcycle," Arrogancia said in a statement on Tuesday. 

"[That is why] I am aligned with the stand of expanding the motorcycle taxi program. With proper training safeguards, strict enforcement of helmet law and traffic laws, driving history screening, and reasonable fare rates and cargo booking rates, the motorcycle taxi program can greatly ease our country's transport and mobility woes," he added.

Arrogancia said it is the lawmakers’ job to draft legislation that would ensure that travelling via motorcycle and tricycles is safe and accessible with clear and fair legislation.

"The motorcycle taxi program should have different conditions and rules for the provinces, and we need a reasonable set of rules of the road for all motorcycles to follow," he said.

For his part, Motorcycle Rights Organization chairman Jobert Bolanos said the rise in motorcycle-related road accidents could be attributed to the growing number of players in the motorcycle taxi industry who lack proper training. 

Digital Pinoys national campaigner Ronald Gustilo echoed Bolanos' concerns, saying that if more players are allowed in the pilot study, this could spell more problems amid the surge in motorcycle-related road accidents.

Gustilo also stressed the repercussions of oversaturating the industry, stressing the importance of adhering to the allocations set by the Technical Working Group and avoiding violations that could undermine the industry's integrity. 

In light of these concerns, the said transport and consumer groups are supporting the CMMD’s suggestion for a moratorium on additional players in the MC Taxi pilot study to ensure the well-being of motorcycle riders and the public at large. —with Llanesca T. Panti/AOL/KBK, GMA Integrated News