Sen. Raffy Tulfo, chairperson of the Senate committee on public services (Photo from the Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau).
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Raffy Tulfo on Tuesday confronted a motorcycle taxi company over “smelly” and “lice-bearing” helmets.
The Senate committee on public services that Tulfo chairs is currently investigating complaints about Transportation Network Companies (TNCs), including the surge in pricing and dirty helmets.
“Ito maliliit na reklamo pero dumarami na. ‘Yung helmet ng mga rider niyo paminsan linisin niyo kasi paminsan mapanghi, mabaho, may kuto,” he said.
(This is just a small complaint, but increasing. The helmets of your riders sometimes smell and have lice.)
“Mga ganyang reklamo that [has] to be addressed. Meron pa ngang sumakay [na] kakilala ko, hindi ko na babangitin, after a few days may kuto na siya. ‘Sir, may kuto na po ako.’ Paano yan?” he asked.
(There are complaints like that and it has to be addressed. I even know someone who complained to me, but I won’t name that person, after a few days this person had lice. ‘Sir, I have lice now.’ What can we do?)
Angkas Chief Executive Officer George Royeca told the panel that the company is already doing something to address the issue.
“We have established charcoal sanitation for our helmets and we also released, of course, subsidized brand new helmets. We also have helmet cleaners that we use in various stations,” he said.
Royeca attributed the smelly helmets to the extremely humid and hot weather in the country.
He also said the firm requires passengers to use a shower cap, but some refuse because it makes them more sweaty amid the humid weather.
“Almost all the time we have shower caps. Maybe there are instances that we run out of it, but that’s more the exception than the rule,” he added.
READ: Angkas set to expand in 2024