Habal-habal Part 2 - The need for two-wheelers

Last month, when the issue on Angkas first surfaced, we wrote about the need for the habal-habal. Not just in Cebu but for almost all LGUs in the country. Some may want to distinguish the habal-habal from Angkas, but technically speaking, there's not much difference -Angkas is habal-habal, with a mobile/internet based hailing service. And along with the app are a number of improved services which made it better and more popular than the old, basic, habal-habal service. With safety and convenience add-ons, too. But it's still habal-habal.

Or, as what transportation science calls it -two-wheeled public transportation. Others may just call it "paratransit" or informal urban transport because it is not a mass transport system. But it is public nonetheless, separating it from privately-owned motorcycles. Habal-habal may seem like a local issue, but actually it's not -it is common in many regions and countries, but particularly in developing ones. They are called by many names in different places in Asia, Africa, and South America. 

"Zemidjans" first appeared in Benin (in Africa), and later in Nigeria (called "okada" there) and Togo ("kabou-kabou"). "Boda bodas" are used in Uganda and Kenya. "Bend-skin" or "bensikin" are very popular in Douala, Cameroon. Two-wheelers are called "Ojek" in Indonesia, "motor-sai rap chang" in Thailand and "xe ôm" in Vietnam. In South America, they are simply called "moto-taxis." Lately, Uber introduced app-based services in Vietnam, Thailand, and South America, calling the service "Uber-moto." In some countries, they are legal, while in others, they are not. But they persistently exist, and will continue to exist.

In Cebu City, there are at least 77 areas which are not accessible using public transportation, hence, habal-habal is the only means of access there. Cutting them off, as what some people would seem to suggest, cuts access of the people living there. Maybe, they want our fellow Cebuanos to just walk for miles. Five of these areas have public schools teachers commute to by habal-habal. If we cut these off no teacher would volunteer to walk for miles to teach in these areas. Is this what we really want?

At the end of the day, two-wheeled public transportation, legal or not, provides a necessary service that contributes to development. The issues are the same, worldwide, and countries are racing towards providing the necessary regulatory framework for them, while tolerating their operations. It's one of these "wicked problems" in planning -"difficult or impossible to solve because of incomplete, contradictory, and changing requirements that are often difficult to recognize" which we have to face, and which a dogmatic stand won't work. It's often exacerbated by a national government failing to recognize the issue which is local in nature and more efficiently managed locally.

India seems to be on the right (or better) track -allowing individual cities to address two-wheelers. And if technology offers ways to improve the situation, why punish it if it makes life better for our people. Angkas is habal-habal, but it makes habal-habal better. Hopefully, the national government will see the light and help our people.