Three jeepneys and three hours into his controversial commuter challenge, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo ended up riding a motorcycle taxi to finally bring him to Malacañang.
Senator Ralph Recto, who authored a bill pushing for the legalization of motorcycle taxis, said it was a smart move for Panelo to use such a vehicle to finally get to the Palace.
“It would have actually taken more time for Panelo to get to the Palace without Angkas. We can really cut travel time and beat traffic crisis by taking alternative transportation like Angkas, and get to spend more time with our families,” the senator said.
For her part, Manila Rep. Cristal Bagatsing said: “Secretary Panelo’s use of a motorcycle taxi in his commuting challenge is a testament to the usefulness of the platform in helping Filipino commuters.
“We must all work together to help legislate and regulate legitimate and professional motorcycle taxi services such as Angkas to fill the gaps in the country’s problematic mass transport system,” Bagatsing added.
Colloquially dubbed as “habal habal,” motorcycle taxis have been informally used for decades in the Philippines.
In 2016, Angkas, the first motorcycle ride-hailing app in the Philippines, came into the country and formalized the service.
In June this year, Angkas was granted a Department of Transportation-sanctioned six-month pilot run to assess the service’s safety and viability.
Jobert Bolaños of the Motorcycle Rights Organization said of the pilot run: “This is the fruit of the long hours spent by the members of the TWG (Technical Working Group): Angkas, the DOTr, the LTFRB (Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board), the Highway Patrol Group, the MMDA (Metropolitan Manila Development Authority), and all the hardworking commuter groups, transport advocates, and members of the academe.”
“We’ve spent a long time working to figure out how to come up with a motorcycle taxi service that’s not only fast and accessible but also satisfies the strict safety standards and requirements of the regulatory agencies as well,” Bolaños added.
Angkas Chief Transport Advocate George Royeca also commended Panelo for trying out the motorcycle taxi in his commute.
“We salute Panelo for trying out a motorcycle taxi on his commute and for shining light on how it can be a good option to beat the chaotic traffic of Metro Manila,” he said.
“The partnership with DOTr and Angkas is the best example of a non-infrastructure policy measure that is working to help ease traffic in the metro. We are grateful for Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade’s leadership to make motorcycle-taxis reality in our country,” Royeca said.
Panelo, in an earlier press conference, denied there is a transport crisis in the Philippines, saying commuters still get to their destinations, anyway. He added that passengers should leave their homes early if they want to get to their destinations on time.
This triggered the militant groups Kilusang Mayo Uno and Anakbayan to challenge Panelo to try and commute via public transport to experience the daily woes of commuters.
Panelo quickly accepted the challenge, saying he grew up on the streets and has no problems commuting.
A bill was recently filed by Senators Recto and Grace Poe and Rep. Bagatsing to officiate and legalize motorcycle taxis as a transport option nationwide. With a few months left in the six-month pilot run for Angkas, government agencies have yet to announce whether the bill has passed in Senate.