CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña described the ruling of the Supreme Court against the motorcycle-ride hailing app Angkas as detrimental to residents of the city, especially those in mountain areas where there are no alternative means of transportation.
“Habalhabals, especially in the mountain barangays, are simply a fact of life because no alternative means of transportation exists,” Osmeña posted on Facebook.
The high court issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) against a lower court ruling which allows Angkas to operate temporarily. The SC directed the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to apprehend Angkas drivers.
According to Osmeña, Angkas has helped the commuters especially those from the mountain barangays. He said Angkas drivers ferry their passengers safely to their destinations by observing proper safety measures.
“They made them safer by making drivers identifiable and requiring drivers to provide clean helmets to passengers and install speed limiters in their bikes. They reduced overpricing. They even helped with the traffic by allowing direct pickups instead of having all the bikes wait by the street,”the mayor added. (FREEMAN)