The Senate on Thursday urged the Transport department to give ride-hailing service Angkas provisional authority to operate while lawmakers are moving to craft a law allowing motorcycle taxis to be considered public transportation for hire.
In a Senate Hearing on motorcycle taxis sponsored by the Senate Committee on Public Services, Senator Ralph Recto said the provisional authority to operate would allow lawmakers to monitor and assess the service.
Senator Grace Poe, chairman of the public services committee, recommended that the department come up with an order to regulate motorcycle taxis in the meantime.
“We will definitely strengthen it by supplementing it with a law,” Poe said.
She gave the department 30 days to come up with the order.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has approved on second reading a consolidated bill allowing the use of motorcycles as alternative public utility vehicles.
House Bill 8959 amends Republic Act 4136, or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code, to make travel faster.
Once the bill becomes law, motorcycle taxis such as Angkas and Habal-Habal will be allowed to operate.
Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo, one of the bill’s principal authors and chairman of the House committee on Metro Manila development, welcomed the bill approval.
Poe earlier filed Senate Resolution 993 urging the committee to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation on the possibility of allowing motorcycle taxis to operate as public transportation for hire.
P.S. Resolution 993, written by Poe herself, has the goal of amending Republic Act 4136, also known as the Land Transportation and Traffic Code. The resolution also urges the committee to formulate rules ensuring the safety of the riding public and motorcycle riders.
In the resolution, Poe noted the “horrendous traffic” in Metro Manila and all other cities in the country, as well as the increasing prices of petroleum products.
“It is understandable that Filipino commuters, motorists and entrepreneurs relying on transportation would explore other more speedy, convenient and cheap modes of transportation,” Poe said.