Poe on LTFRB – Angkas issue: Consider commuters; safety, convenience

MANILA, Philippines—Senator Grace Poe on Monday reminded the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to consider the convenience and safety of the riding public in enforcing a limit on the number of riders and drivers of Transport Network Companies (TNCs) in Metro Manila.

In a letter to the LTFRB, Poe, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Public Services, explained that opening up the market to competition should not come at the expense of the public’s convenience and safety.

This was after the LTFRB allowed the extension of motorcycle ride -hailing firm Angkas’ pilot run for another three months and gave two new operators the right to participate while imposing a rider limit for each operator.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1203867/angkas-pilot-run-extended-for-3-months-2-new-operators-to-join-in

“While competition is a welcome development and opening the market to other players is agreeable on principle, we need to consider the timing of this decision in the context of increased demand due to the holidays and the dire need for alternative mass transport in the metro,” Poe said.

“At the crux of the issue, we must consider the convenience and safety of the riding public who will be most affected by the drastic reduction of motorcycle taxi supply in favor of new players who currently do not have the 99% safety rating and track record which the current major player has,” she added.

“Surely, there must be a way to accommodate new players in the pilot program without great inconvenience to the riding public.”

The regulatory body imposed a 10,000-biker limit per TNC in Metro Manila and 3,000 bikers in Metro Cebu.

Angkas, however, lamented that the government’s decision to impose a biker limit would result in the loss of livelihood of about 17,000 accreited Angkas riders.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1204081/angkas-protest-10000-biker-limit-set-by-ltfrb-in-extended-pilot-run

Poe also reminded the LTFRB to submit to the Senate the results of the pilot run and the recommendations of the technical working group for motorcycle taxis

“The legalization of motorcycle taxis is a priority measure of the committee and will be tackled when the Senate resumes,” she said.

GSG