House eyes ban on motorcycle taxi firm

MANILA, Philippines — A committee of the House of Representatives has recommended banning motorcycle ride-hailing app Move It – an alleged partner of Grab – from operating in Metro Manila due to several violations.

In a 14-page report, Metro Manila development committee chairman Rep. Rolando Valeriano hinted that Move It’s operations may have to be halted due to recurring queries about its tie-up with the popular transport network vehicle service (TNVS) in 2022.

Move It offers motorcycle rides while Grab services those who need four-wheeled vehicles.

“Absent a resolution and pending Grab and Move It’s compliance with requests for information that are crucial in the determination of whether Grab is, in fact, a de facto fourth player in the pilot study, the (group) may consider prohibiting Move It from the pilot study, if warranted,” he said.

Valeriano’s report referred to the technical working group (TWG) evaluating legalities about the issues.

The report, which was furnished to Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, stated the TWG should “study and consider all allegations and issues pertaining to Grab, which now owns Move It, including those raised during the hearing, such as overcharging and shortchanging.”

In its pilot study, the Department of Transportation allowed only three motorcycle taxi operators – Angkas, Joyride and Move It – in its program and granted them provisional authority to operate.

Grab, which is in the TNVS business, was not yet on the MC taxi industry.

In 2022, Grab reportedly secretly acquired Move It by skirting proper procedure and approval by concerned government regulating agencies, which created various negative reactions from various sectors.

The Valeriano report, dated Sept. 5, mentioned Grab’s “backdoor entry” into the motorcycle taxi industry by acquiring Move It, one of the vetted participants in the DOTr’s pilot study on the viability of motorcycle taxi operations in the country that started in 2019.