INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines —The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Wednesday urged “habal-habal” (motorcycles for hire) operators, particularly in provinces, to join its pilot study for motorcycle taxis.
In a statement, the LTFRB said operators will benefit from the study while still following regulations, especially once Senate Bill No. 104 — which seeks to allow and regulate the use of motorcycles as public utility vehicles — had been passed in Congress.
“Once they are part of the program, they will be regulated and will be trained in the aspects of proper operations, particularly in improving their driving skills through more advanced driver training,” LTFRB chief Teofilo Guadiz III, who also head the motorcycle taxi technical working group (TWG), said.
“That way, they can operate safely and securely, which will ultimately benefit the riding public,” he added.
A day earlier, Sen. Raffy Tulfo urged, during the hearing called by the Senate Committee on Public Services chaired by Sen. Grace Poe, the LTFRB to encourage habal-habal operators in the provinces to join the pilot program.
Guadiz also said that the TWG would also look at expanding the pilot study to other areas and increasing the allocated cap for the number of riders among the three transport network companies (TNCs) that participated in the study — Angkas, JoyRide and Move It.
In 2019, Congress authorized and required the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to conduct the motorcycle taxi pilot study to determine if a motorcycle taxi would be feasible and safe and if it should be legalized.