House spots holes in prolonged study on motorcycle taxis

A House committee on Tuesday discovered that in the nearly four-year-long pilot study of the technical working group (TWG) on motorcycle taxis like Angkas, their impact on traffic was never examined while the cap on how many should be allowed to operate has yet to be determined.

During a hearing held by the House committee on transportation chaired by Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop, Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Vigor Mendoza asked to extend by 45 days the TWG and its pilot study to address the issues that have yet to be tackled.

Acop, however, took exception to what he interpreted as Land Transportation, Franchising and Regulatory Board chair Teofilo Guadiz III’s request that the House allow the study to end.

Mendoza, as LTO chief, heads the TWG and Guadiz is a member of the panel.

“If your pilot study is already terminated and you have all the data and information needed pursuant to House Resolution No. 2449, why not submit a report stating therein that the pilot study is concluded? Why should it come from us? You’re passing your duty to us,” Acop said.

HR 2449, which was filed in the 17th Congress in 2019, created the TWG, which was tasked to conduct a six-month study into the testworthiness of motorcycle taxis as public utility vehicles. The study, which allowed them to operate through a provisional authority, was extended several times until it was overtaken by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, on the other hand, asked why a traffic impact assessment was not included in the four-year-long pilot study. Mendoza said the traffic impact assessment, liability and “multi-homing” of riders could be resolved by the TWG within the month, but the issue on capping and other matters could take 45 days. INQ

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