DOTr orders motorcycle taxi technical working group to be reconstituted
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has reconstituted the technical working group (TWG) that was reviewing and revising guidelines for the operations of motorcycle (MC) taxis.
In a Department Order (DO) No. 2022-021 signed November 7 but officially released on Friday, the DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista said that “there is a need [to] have a body that will oversee and monitor the continuous pilot implementation of the MC Taxi operations.”
“Now, therefore I, Jaime J. Bautista, Secretary of the Department of Transportation, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, hereby order the reconstitution of the Motorcycle Taxi Technical Working Group (TWG),” Bautista said in the DO.
The TWG will have the power to monitor the pilot run of MC taxis, review guidelines, ensure coordination of government agencies involved, and submit the data from their review to the House of Representatives and the Senate.
According to the DO, the TWG will be chaired by the assistant secretary of the Land Transportation Office (LTO), and the vice chairperson will be a board member of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
Other members will primarily come from the aforementioned agencies, said the DO. However, they are also joined by representatives from the Metro Manila Development Authority and Committees on Transportation from the House and Senate, said Bautista.
MC taxi-hailing service Move It welcomed this decision from the DOTr, as it is one of the three companies partaking in the government’s pilot run.
“The reconstitution of the TWG ensures the continuous operation of MC taxis pending enactment of the appropriate legislation legalizing and regulating the MC ride-hailing service in the country,” Move It said.
The company added that “it is about time that the government allows more players and not limit the MC taxi business to only three companies so that we can give our commuters more options. The convenience and safety of our commuters should be our primordial concern.”
Move It previously stated that the initial TWG had already submitted its review to Congress but there has been little progress.
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