The Department of Transportation said it is considering to recall its order canceling the test run for motorcycle taxis in Metro Manila and Cebu.
“The Inter-Agency TWG on Motorcycle Taxis is considering the sentiments raised by the members of the Senate Committee on Public Services as well as by other stakeholders. in fact, right after the Senate hearing, the TWG immediately convened to initially discuss such sentiments,” Goddess Hope Libiran, spokesman of DOTr, said.
“The TWG shall further discuss all these on Wednesday. After which, a report shall be submitted to Transport Secretary Arthur Tugade,” she added.
DOTr issued the statement after several senators urged the agency to reconsider its decision terminating the test run from Dec. 23, 2019 to March 23, for motorcycle taxis.
In a public hearing on Monday that tackled the legalization of motorcycle taxis, Senator Grace Poe urged the TWG to continue the pilot run in order to aid the Senate in getting data to craft the proper legislation that regulates motorcycle taxis in the country.
“In this panel, we are unanimous in our opinion that the study must continue. Isuspend niyo muna ang pagbuwag sa pilot run. We won’t come up with a meaningful and effective law without the pertinent studies,” Poe said.
The senate hearing was also attended by other senators Ralph Recto, Win Gatchalian, Bong Go, Imee Marcos, Joel Villanueva, Koko Pimentel, and Bato dela Rosa.
Senator Ralph Recto, who also has a motorcycle taxi bill pending in the Senate, also called out Gardiola for the summary changing of the TWG’s composition. “I want an explanation from Secretary Tugade bakit binago ang TWG,” Recto demanded.
Recto also disagreed with the plan of the TWG to blacklist Angkas as a motorcycle taxi service. “If you think the presentation of Angkas is good and promotes safety, why are you blacklisting them?” he questioned.
Senator Win Gatchalian, in turn, asked Gardiola why the TWG made decisions without a comprehensive data as reference. “Ano nga ba ang basehan ng riders cap?” Gatchalian asked. “Parang legalized cartel ito. Dahil kung ako yung bagong player matutuwa ako na kabago-bago ko, may 10,000 agad ako na bikers,” he added.
“Paghihiganti po ito, dahil walang basehan ang lahat,” Gatchalian also noted.
Senator Bong Go, for his part, expressed his support for motorcycle taxis. “Motorcycle taxis like Angkas provide cheaper and faster services, helps previously unregulated habal habal drivers, we also recognize the high safety standards, helmets and reflectors being provided to bikers,” Go declared.
Go later said that there will be no arrest yet of motorcycle taxis despite the government’s move to terminate its pilot run study and declare them illegal. He claimed that Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade and LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra III had agreed to his request not to enforce the arrest starting next week.
“I will recommend to President Duterte the continuation of the extension of the pilot program for motorcycle taxis, provided that the players will abide and care for the safety of the passengers,” Go promised.
As this developed, Senator Joel Villanueva said he is happy that the LTRFB technical working group studying the viability of motorcycle taxis as public transports has come to its senses.
“We cautioned them against resorting to childish tactics against participants in the study,” he said.
Their mandate, he said, comes from the LTFRB, and their purpose is to help create a regulatory framework. Let bygones be bygones, and the TWG must buckle down to work.
“Let the study rise and fall on its merits, not on childish tactics,” he added.