By Hannah Torregoza
Senator Josefa Imelda “Imee” Marcos on Sunday criticized the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and claimed that the department is putting thousands of commuters in danger when it imposed new limits on motorcycle ride-hailing app ‘Angkas’ for the extended test run.
Senator Imee Marcos (Senator Imee Marcos Official Facebook Page / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Marcos, who joined the motorcycle ride-hailing app’s demonstration against the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board’s (LTFRB) decision to limit the number of its bikers next year, said lawmakers, including members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) should have been consulted before coming up with the decision.
The senator also lamented that DOTr is forcing thousands of motorbike drivers out of work when it allowed the extension of Angkas’ pilot run for another three months and giving two new operators the right to participate, but is imposing a 10,000-biker limit per transport network company (TNC) for Metro Manila and 3,000 bikers per TNC for Metro Cebu.
Marcos noted that the DOTr excluded members of the Senate, House of Representatives, PNP, the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), motorbike ride-hailing companies and commuter associations from the closed-door meetings it conducted since November for the second six-month phase of testing the road worthiness and safety of motorbikes, which will begin on December 23.
She noted that the rules of the extended pilot test were approved only by an exclusive technical working group (TWG) headed by retired police general Antonio Gardiola Jr., and representatives from the DOTr and its line agencies, including the LTFRB and Land Transportation Office (LTO).
“Iregular ito dahil ang main purpose ng pilot testing ay para maglatag ng batas na hindi lang magtitiyak ng fair competition kundi ang kaligtasan din ng riding public (This is irregular because the main purpose of the pilot testing is for us to be able to craft a law that will not only ensure fair competition but also ensure the riding public’s safety),” Marcos said.
Marcos earlier filed Senate Bill No. 409, or the proposed Motorcycles-For-Hire Act, which seeks to recognize motorcycles as a public utility vehicle and amending the current laws on transportation and the Local Government Code to pave way for this enterprise.
Passage of the bill into law would legitimize and regulate motorbikes for hire as public utility vehicles and to encourage revenue generation for the unemployed and for the local government units (LGUs) that will supervise them.
Other senators who filed related measures include Senators Grace Poe, Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara and Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto.
Marcos said one of the “arbitrary rules” that will compromise passenger safety is limiting the total number of test-run participants in Metro Manila to 30,000 motorbike drivers, who will come in equal number from Angkas—the only participant in the pilot test’s first phase—and two new ride-hailing companies.
“Yung sinasabi na fair competition ay posibleng siya pang maglagay sa panganib sa mga commuter dahil maraming makakasali sa pilot test na mga driver na hindi natin tiyak kung may sapat na kasanayan, (The claim they are promoting fair competition might in fact put our commuters in danger because a lot of drivers will join the pilot test and we have no certainty whether these drivers are competent or have sufficient experience),” she pointed out.
“Lumalabas na maaaring ang bagong 20,000 motorcycle taxis na sasali sa pilot test ay posibleng walang sapat na experience at safety record na meron ang Angkas, (We are concerned that these 20,000 new motorcycle taxis that will join the pilot test might have no sufficient experience and safety record that Angkas apparently already has),” she added.
George Royeca, the head of Angkas’ regulatory and public affairs, earlier said that their company has a total of some 27,000 drivers, of whom 17,000 will lose their jobs if it is allotted only 10,000 test-run participants.