Ban of motorcycle taxis in certain routes sought

Sen. Raffy T. Tulfo —Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Raffy Tulfo on Tuesday pushed for the ban of motorcycle taxis in routes where tricycle operators and drivers associations (TODAs) are already in place.

At the Senate panel on public services’ hearing, National Public Transport Coalition President Ariel Lim questioned why more motorcycle taxis are being placed in areas near Metro Manila.

“Why don’t you put it in Bicol? Why don’t you put it in Region 8? Tacloban? Why do you insist on [Region] 4A and 3? I’m getting annoyed because they are now invading. You know how long I’ve been complaining, Metro Manila I’m with the original proponent of this. What we agreed upon is you’ll just deliver to Cavite, Cainta — suburb. You will not pick up passengers, and yet you’re still picking them up,” said Lim.

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Lim’s ire was triggered after the appeal of tricycle drivers to have a “capping” or limited motorcycle taxis across the country was supposedly snubbed by the government.

“Now the presidents are complaining, they want to kill you,” said Lim.

Tulfo, who heads the chamber’s panel on public services, agreed with Lim, saying that if there are already TODAs in place, motorcycle taxis should “no longer be allowed.”

Later into the hearing, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III said their survey showed that jeepneys are more affected by the arrival of motorcycle taxis.

“Our question is if you don’t ride a motorcycle taxi, what is the alternate mode you ride? 48.34 percent said jeepney, 5.37 percent said tricycle. So in effect, the one being hit by this motorcycle taxi is not a tricycle. It is the jeepney and we have data for this. We understand they are still getting affected because the motorcycle taxi takes, but the person or entity that’s more affected is the jeepney,” said Guadiz.

This, however, was contested by Tulfo who noted that most people who use ride-hailing applications often get fetched in hard to reach places.

“Within the subdivisions, in areas where jeeps and tricycles do not pass, it’s the TODAs that provide transportation. So for me, it really has a big impact on tricycles. Of course the jeepneys are affected, but aren’t they getting fetched? So if the passengers are getting picked up, of course not it’s not going to be where the jeep is passing. Because if a jeep passes their house, they won’t take a motorcycle taxi anymore,” said Tulfo.

“The tricycle drivers are really affected here. That’s why I still want what we talked about to be implemented. You need to study this: When there is a TODA in an area, ban the entry of motorcycle taxis on that route so that everyone is happy,” he added.

Guadiz then committed to acting on Tulfo’s appeal. He noted that they would also push for the ban of motorcycle taxis in other areas, adding that they would now stop with its accreditation.