A driver for ride-hailing firm Angkas waits for a passenger on the street in Manila on August 1, 2019. Noel CELIS / AFP
Almost 23,000 motorcycle-related road crashes were recorded by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) last year. According to the Metro Manila Accident Recording and Analysis System (MMARAS) report, this is double the number of motorcycle accidents recorded in 2020 at 11,032 cases.
The high number of motorcycle-related accidents in 2021 can be attributed to the easing of pandemic restrictions which gave the public some mobility. With more Filipinos returning to their usual routines, motorcycle taxis are expected to be one of the top preferred public transportation to beat Metro Manila traffic.
To help push for road safety and reduce the number of motorcycle-related accidents, motorcycle taxi-hailing app Angkas said it is continuously strengthening the formal training of motorcycle riders to help ensure that every motorcycle taxi on the highway is safer.
In a TV interview, Angkas CEO George Royeca said they are committed to safety from the very beginning, and they want to set the bar high.
“We trained 200,000 motorcycle riders for free. We made sure they were disciplined. We equipped them with insurance and we gave them the right tools,” Royeca explained.
Last April, Angkas and TESDA jointly developed a Basic Motorcycle Driving curriculum for those who want to use their motorcycles for business. The five-day program provides formal training to motorcycle riders through actual demonstrations. It also includes pre-ride activities and monitoring and maintaining motorcycle performance – which are crucial to operating a motorcycle safely.
Royeca said Angkas’ partnership with TESDA is part of their continued commitment to road safety. “After millions of rides, you know what our accident rate is? .003%, less than one percent. Angkas has a 99.997% safety record. We are even safer than condoms. This is what happens when you invest in people. It creates productive citizens that help lead to a better economy,” he said.
Aside from this, Angkas recently joined the Moto Racing scene to show that motorcycle racing should only be done on the race tracks and not on the streets. Royeca said Angkas’ presence in Moto Racing shows that all Angkas riders are thoroughly trained in safety and riding skills.
READ: Angkas continuously supports PH gov’t in urging Filipinos to become entrepreneurs
To recall, the government often shut down Angkas operations, citing safety concerns and a lack of rules and regulations. Despite this, Royeca said Angkas was determined to help thousands of Filipino commuters beat the heavy Metro Manila traffic, get safely to their destinations, and provide job opportunities to thousands of its rider partners.
“We only have 30,000 bikers at the moment. There are 18M motorcycle owners that are low-income family households in the entire country. What we want to do is really extend this livelihood opportunity to all 18M motorcycle owners. If we’re able to take 18 [million] out of the poverty line, that would really help in uplifting not just the Filipino people but our entire country in the next few years,” he said.