Noting that motorcycles are a safe and convenient mode of public transportation in the country, Sen. Grace Poe believes it is about time to legalize these two-wheeled vehicles.
Poe said the Department of Transportation pilot study on the viability of motorcycle taxis which started in 2019 can be used as a basis for legislation.
“After more than four years of continuous studies by the technical working group (TWG), it now appears, without a doubt, that commuters are overwhelmingly in favor of legalizing motorcycles taxis,” Poe noted.
She said the TWG survey reports 96 percent of motorcycle taxi passengers believed that government should allow motorcycle taxis.
The study also showed that commuters favor motorcycle taxis’ affordability and quicker conveyance time in the clogged streets of urban centers where motorcycle taxis were allowed to operate. Grab senior executive vice president Lim Yew Heng said the passage of a motorcycle taxi law will be a boon for commuters. “This will encourage the entry of motorcycle taxi companies that will provide Filipino commuters with more transportation options.
Earlier, Lim participated in the hearing convened to tackle proposals seeking to regulate and legalize motorcycles-for-hire and ensure that it is safe, convenient and affordable mode of public transportation.
“Grab believes that a well-regulated and inclusive framework for motorcycle taxis in the Philippines can bring significant benefits,” Lim said.
“Passing a law that regulates motorcycle taxis stabilizes the regulatory environment, which will encourage healthy competition,” he added.
The sooner a motorcycle law is passed, he added, “the better for consumers, who under the current setup can only choose between three motorcycle taxi companies.
At present, three motorcycle taxi companies that are part of a pilot program have been allowed to ply Metro Manila roads under a provisional authority to operate issued by the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
The three companies are Angkas, Joyride, and Move It. Angkas, which is the dominant player among motorcycle taxi companies, has 30,000 riders on record, according to its owner George Royeca.
Angkas had earlier sought to block the entry of the two other companies in January 2020 when it petitioned a Quezon City court to issue a 72-hour temporary restraining order against the implementation.