Lawmaker: Still no law on motorcycles-for-hire

MANILA, Philippines — While motorcycle taxis have been operating in Metro Manila for some time, there is still no law that governs motorcycles-for-hire despite assurances from the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) that a report is underway, a lawmaker said yesterday.

Rep. Paolo Duterte of Davao City noted that the LTFRB has yet to release its “pilot study” on the “viability and safety” of motorcycles-for-hire as a mode of commuter transport, which started way back in 2019, or a year before the COVID pandemic spread.

“It has dragged on, continuing on its fourth year – with no certainty on when this would be concluded and its recommendations released to the public,” he said.

Duterte was referring to the motorcycle taxi technical working group (TWG) that was formed in 2019 by the LTFRB upon the directive of the Department of Transportation.

The  group was reconstituted in November 2022 and continues to oversee the pilot implementation of motorcycle taxi operations by companies like Angkas, Joyride and Move It.

“As a result, the number of habal-habal rides, or those motorcycles-for-hire operating outside the purview of the pilot study conducted by the LTFRB, has continued to increase,” Duterte observed.

“Passengers who cannot book through motorcycle-hailing apps authorized by the LTFRB because of the lack of available rides, are left with no option but to patronize these illegal habal-habal – and compromise their safety,” he warned, hinting of more accidents.

The senior administration legislator urged his colleagues in the House of Representatives to pass a bill regulating operations of motorcycles-for-hire, following calls for the government to lift the cap on the number of these vehicles allowed to ply the country’s roads.

Several transport advocacy and consumer groups, such as Citizen Watch Philippines, Bantay Konsyumer, Kalsada, Kuryente and The Passenger Forum have called for the lifting of the limit imposed by the TWG on the number of motorcycle taxis allowed to operate.

The cap is currently set by the TWG at 45,000 participants under the pilot study.

The groups said the lack of affordable, fast and convenient travel options, such as these motorcycle taxis, have given rise to illegal habal-habal rides, whose riders do not have proper training or insurance coverage to protect  themselves and their passengers.

Duterte said these groups have raised a valid concern and that House Bill 4470, which he filed with Benguet Rep. Eric Yap and ACT-CIS Rep. Edvic Yap, provides the legislation that would legalize and regulate motorcycle taxis, along with 14 other similar measures.

“The long-term solution to this valid point raised by transport advocacy groups is a law that will regulate the operations of motorcycles-for-hire,” Duterte, younger brother of Vice President Sara Duterte, said.