Competition watchdog says it's ready to help motorcycle taxi pilot run
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Competition Commission said Friday it supports the ongoing pilot study on the safety of using motorcycles as a mode of public transport, adding it stands ready to help formulate policies.
Philippine transport officials has recently allowed entrants JoyRide and MoveIt to operate and participate in the extended pilot run as regulators look into the prohibition.
The two companies will compete with Angkas, whose fleet size shrunk after it was ordered to share its slots to the new players in a move that authorities said was meant to prevent a monopoly. Angkas was the sole service provider in the initial six-month trial.
In a statement, the PCC said it supports the passage of bills that will lift a five-decade-old law ban on the use of motorcycles for public transport, saying the measures will “widen the choices for commuters and open opportunities for businesses and innovators.”
“We understand that the results of the Motorcycle Taxi Service Inter-Agency Technical Working Group’s (TWG) pilot study will be critical to the future of this new market involving MC taxis and online ride-hailing, especially in shaping regulations concerning safety, viability, and accreditation,” the PCC said.
“Whether in the experimental phase or once the law on MCs will be passed, competition must be recognized as an essential element in stakeholders’ operations that bear impact on the riding public,” it added.
Demand for motorcycle taxi services is high in the Philippine capital, which is notorious for its congested roads, as this mode of public transport promises faster commutes at cheaper rates.
Samar Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento, chair of the House committee on transportation, said the transport regulators will extend the initial period of the study, which is set to end on March 23, until after necessary law is passed by Congress.
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