Manila Bulletin
Ejercito commends DOTr for approving pilot implementation of motorcycle-taxi service
Ejercito commends DOTr for approving pilot implementation of motorcycle-taxi service
Ejercito commends DOTr for approving pilot implementation of motorcycle-taxi service
By AJ Siytangco
Published May 10, 2019 04:35 pm
By Hannah Torregoza
Reelectionist Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito on Friday commended the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for approving the pilot implementation of motorcycle taxi, enabling ride-hailing apps such as Angkas to legally operate again.
Ejercito, a modern public transport system advocate, hailed Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade’s approval of the pilot motorcycle taxi project, saying it would pave way for the government to also learn the advantages and disadvantages of having such transport mechanism in the future.
Sen. JV Ejercito
(Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN) “This is a welcome development because we will find out whether a motorcycle taxi is a good idea, which I think it is,” Ejercito said in a statement. “This is one innovation in public transport system that needs to be tried,” he said. As early as January this year, Ejercito already filed Senate Bill No. 2180, which sought to allow the use of motorcycles as public utility vehicles. He noted that with the current lack of available mass transportation, and given the severe traffic congestion in urban areas, including Metro Manila, motorcycles have been considered an alternative mode of transportation. “Motorcycles are preferred as they offer mobility, and are more affordable than other vehicles,” he said. Ejercito said the pilot implementation in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu would allow the motorcycle ride-hailing Angkas application to serve passengers beginning this June. The DOTR has given a green light to implement the pilot run of motorcycle taxis in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu but only for six months. The six-month pilot test would help legislators finalize bills pertaining to motorcycle taxis. It can be recalled that in 2017, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) shut down Angkas after it found that the company is operating sans a business permit. The LTFRB also maintained that motorcycles are not among the type of vehicles that may be considered for public transport under the country’s Land Transportation Code. However, Angkas challenged the LTFRB’s order before the Mandaluyong Regional Trial Court, which later issued a preliminary injunction against the government shutdown. The DOTr memorandum said that after the expiration of the six-month pilot implementation period, all the results and data collected would then be the subject of a study in order to determine “whether or not motorcycle taxis could be considered as an alternative mode of transportation.”
Sen. JV Ejercito(Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN) “This is a welcome development because we will find out whether a motorcycle taxi is a good idea, which I think it is,” Ejercito said in a statement. “This is one innovation in public transport system that needs to be tried,” he said. As early as January this year, Ejercito already filed Senate Bill No. 2180, which sought to allow the use of motorcycles as public utility vehicles. He noted that with the current lack of available mass transportation, and given the severe traffic congestion in urban areas, including Metro Manila, motorcycles have been considered an alternative mode of transportation. “Motorcycles are preferred as they offer mobility, and are more affordable than other vehicles,” he said. Ejercito said the pilot implementation in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu would allow the motorcycle ride-hailing Angkas application to serve passengers beginning this June. The DOTR has given a green light to implement the pilot run of motorcycle taxis in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu but only for six months. The six-month pilot test would help legislators finalize bills pertaining to motorcycle taxis. It can be recalled that in 2017, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) shut down Angkas after it found that the company is operating sans a business permit. The LTFRB also maintained that motorcycles are not among the type of vehicles that may be considered for public transport under the country’s Land Transportation Code. However, Angkas challenged the LTFRB’s order before the Mandaluyong Regional Trial Court, which later issued a preliminary injunction against the government shutdown. The DOTr memorandum said that after the expiration of the six-month pilot implementation period, all the results and data collected would then be the subject of a study in order to determine “whether or not motorcycle taxis could be considered as an alternative mode of transportation.”