MANILA, Philippines — Bike-hailing app Angkas is just "overreacting" on the new cap for the extended pilot run of motorcycle taxis, a Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board board member said.
LFTRB board member Antonio
Gardiola accused
Angkas of deceiving the riders as nobody will lose their job with the new cap.
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Gardiola stressed that the imposition of a cap would even increase the total riders in Metro Manila from 27,000 to 39,000.
The new cap, however, limits the 10,000 bikers per motorcycle taxi firm, which would decrease the number of Angkas bikers which currently has 27,000.
"You are over reacting kasi mababawasan ang riders nyo who now has the option to choose from among two additional providers for the interest if a fair and objective study," Gardiola said in a statement.
The LTFRB earlier said the allotted 39,000 authorized bikers would be divided among Angkas and new players JoyRide and Move It.
"These [three] providers are instruments to run this study and not to run the affairs of the [LTFRB technical working group]," Gardiola said.
The extension of the motorcycle pilot implementation scheme is set to run from Dec. 23, 2019 to March 23, 2020.
The LTFRB board member added that Angkas appears to be more interested in profit rather than the study on the pilot run for motorcycle taxis.
Sen. Grace Poe
, on the other hand, asked LTFRB Chairman Martin
Delgra to reconsider the timing of the new cap due to increased demand brought about by the holidays.
Poe added that the policy would affect the convenience and safety of the riding public, noting that the new motorcycle players do not yet have the same safety rating as
Angkas.
"Surely, there must be a way to accommodate new players in the pilot program without great inconvenience to the riding public," Poe said. — Patricia Lourdes Viray