Motorcycle taxi pilot run not about bikers’ jobs, passenger demand – gov’t

Loreben Tuquero

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Motorcycle taxi pilot run not about bikers’ jobs, passenger demand – gov’t
Antonio Gardiola, who chairs the technical working group for motorcycle taxis, says Angkas is only ‘overreacting’ because its fleet and profits would be reduced

MANILA, Philippines – The motorcycle taxi pilot run is not about providing livelihood to bikers or responding to as many commuters who demand their services.

This is the explanation made by the inter-agency technical working group (TWG) that oversees the motorcycle taxi pilot run, in response to the public appeal of pioneering firm Angkas to save 17,000 of their bikers from losing their jobs. 

These bikers stand to lose their livelihood following the TWG’s decision to impose a new cap of 39,000 for all 3 motorcycle taxi providers during their extended pilot implementation. The new cap would reduce Angkas’s biker fleet from an overall 27,000 to 10,000 for Metro Manila and 3,000 for Cebu. 

The regulators earlier suggested that the Angkas bikers at risk of deactivation be absorbed by the new providers, JoyRide and Move It. However, Angkas bikers seem more likely to return to unregulated habal-habal service than join the new competitors.

The TWG, however, said this was beside the point of the pilot.

Hindi issue ng hanapbuhay ang focus ng TWG sa gagawing pag-aaral,” the TWG said in a statement on Monday, December 23. (Livelihood is not the focus of the TWG in the study.)

The TWG said the purpose of the pilot run is to determine if motorcycles would be a viable mode of public transportation. This would need real-time information from all riders and not just from Angkas, said the TWG. (Metro commuting in 2019: The shortcomings of the motorcycle taxi pilot run)

Hangga’t hindi pa natatapos ang pag-aaral, hindi pa pormal na kinikilala ng TWG ang motorcycle ride-hailing service bilang isang legal at ligtas na PUV service,” the TWG said. (While the pilot run is ongoing, the TWG does not formally recognize the motorcycle ride-hailing service as a legal and safe public utility vehicle service.)

Moreover, the TWG said the 39,000-rider cap was not allocated to serve all motorcycle taxi users, but only to serve as a sample for the study.

Instead, the TWG calls on commuters to give feedback on the motorcycle taxis. The group also made assurances that passenger safety will be strictly monitored during the pilot run.

Angkas chief transport advocate George Royeca earlier said that ensuring passenger safety and maintaining service quality would be more difficult to do with the new cap. 

However, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) board member and TWG chairman Antonio Gardiola Jr said Angkas was only “overreacting” because their fleet would be reduced. He said Angkas bikers will now have the option to choose from two other providers.

Hindi trabaho ang usapin dito. Ito ay isang pag-aaral. These 3 providers are instruments to run this study and not to run the affairs of the TWG. It only appears na you are not interested on the study rather you are focused kung ano kikitain ‘nyo sa pag aaral na ito,” Gardiola said in a statement.

(We are not talking about jobs here. This is a study. These 3 providers are instruments to run this study and not to run the affairs of the TWG. It only appears that you are not interested on the study, rather you are focused on the profit you will earn from it.) – Rappler.com

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Loreben Tuquero

Loreben Tuquero is a researcher-writer for Rappler. Before transferring to Rappler's Research team, she covered transportation, Quezon City, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government as a reporter. She graduated with a communication degree from the Ateneo de Manila University.