Angkas hopes for legalization of motorcycle taxi operations this year

MANILA, Philippines — Motorcycle ride-hailing firm Angkas is hoping that motorcycle taxi services will be legalized this year.

Angkas regulatory and public affairs head George Royeca said Thursday the firm hopes Congress would approve the measure allowing motorcycles to operate as public utility vehicles (PUVs) even before Angkas’ six-month test run ends.

“Even before the six-month period ends, we hope to refile the bill in Congress and Senate,” Royeca told reporters in an interview in Manila.

Last February, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading House Bill 8959 which seeks to legalize operations of motorcycle taxis.

READ: Motorcycles-for-hire bill gets House nod

The measure seeks to amend Republic Act. No. 4136 or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code to include motorcycle-for-hire among vehicles that may be registered with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to be used as a commercial vehicle to transport passengers and goods.

“Hopefully, within six months, the bill will be passed. That’s what we are hoping for,” Royeca said in Filipino.

Angkas will be conducting a six-month test run later this month after the Department of Transportation (DOTr) approved pilot operations of motorcycle taxis in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu.

READ: DOTr OKs 6-month test run of motorcycle taxis in Metro Manila, Metro Cebu

The DOTr will be assessing the level of safety of motorcycle taxis, their drivers’ discipline and overall experience of passengers during the six-month period.

Angkas operations head David Medrana said the results of the firm’s test run would help expedite legislation.

“Before walang documents, walang numbers na sina-submit, na-approve sa Congress (We have not submitted documents and numbers before but it was approved by Congress). With the numbers that we will be submitting on a monthly basis, we hope the legislation can be faster,” Medrana said in an interview.

The bill, however, does not yet have a sponsor, but Angkas said it is optimistic that lawmakers will be open to their proposal.

“Kung sinu-sino, lahat kinakausap natin (We are talking to a lot of people). We don’t have one (sponsor) yet, but hopefully, a lot of people who initially authored the last bill is still in Congress so sila ‘yung maging puno no’n (so they led that),” Royeca said.

“The idea here is to refine and enhance all of the implementing rules and regulations for the operations of motorcycle taxis. So tuluy-tuloy lang po ‘yung ating assessment and evaluation, at pagstudy ng operation ng Angkas (So it is a continuing assessment and evaluation),” he added. (Editor: Eden Estopace)