Tiresday, February 12, 2O:u
Govt to pilot-run motorcycle taxis
BY JovEE MARrE N. DELA CRUZ
t@joreefiarie
HE House of Representa-
tives and the Department
of Transportation (DOTr)
on Monday agreed to a pilot run
for motorcycle ride-hailing ser-
vices in the country.
During a hearing of the House
Committee on Metro Manila De-
velopment, DOTr Undersecretary
Mark de Leon said the proposed
pilot run of Angkas to assess the
viability of motorcycle taxis as
public-utility vehicles.
De T,eon told lawmakers this
pilot run will test the implement-
ing rules and regulations (lRR)
that the technical working group
(TWG) is drafting.
"The technical working group
has met twice already and we are
planning for a third meeting to fi-
nalize the IRR and the proposal to
have the pilot run," de Leon said.
The TWG is composed of rep
resentatives from the DOTr,
IEU
Land Transportation O ffice,
Land Transportation Franchis
ing and Regulatory Board, Phil-
ippine National Police-Highway
Patrol Group, Metiopolitan Ma-
nila Development Authority, the
Senate, the House of Representa-
tives, commuter-welfare grouPs,
road- safety advocates, motorcycle
manufacturers, motorcycle orga-
nizations and law schools.
House Committee on Metro
Manila Development Cliairman
Winston Castelo, meanwhile, said
the provisional authority to oper-
ate is needed immediately to help
commuters and to allow 27,000
Angkas biker-partners to resume
their livelihood.
Although these are pending in
Congress, Castelo said the gov-
ernment still needs to give Ang-
kas the provisional authority to
operate,
"The pilot run will also allow
Angkas biker-partners to resume
the operatiqns whichwas suspend
ed when the Supreme Court filed
\\ yrAg€-6r"
atemporaryrestraining order last
December," he added.
Castelo said there are pending
bills filed in Congress now that
would legalize motorcycles fgr
hire, "but this would take a lot of
time because of the longlegislative
process. There are other ways to
legalize it, to expedite its opera-
tions, especially now that we are
suffering f rom traffic congestion."
Republic Act (RA) 4136, or the
Land Transportation and Traf-
fic Code provided that two-whee1
vehicles are banned ftom being
used for hire.
Last week, the House of Rep-
resentatives endorsed for Senate
approval abill seeking to allow the
use of motorcycles as an alterna-
tive public utility vehicle.
House Bill8959 will amend RA
4136 to address the tremendous
daily suffering of commuters be-
cause oftraffic congestion.
The bill will allow ride appli
cation Angkas and habat-habal to
operate.