There are about 200,000 habal-habal taxis in Metro Manila, all risking being caught each day just to earn for their family.

“These forgotten people only need one thing: for the government to allow them to temporarily operate legally just like Move It, Angkas, and Joyride. Or for Congress to fast-track the passage of the bill legitimizing the motorcycle taxi business”, said Francis Juan, Move It chairman.

The Technical Working Group of the Department of Transportation under the Duterte administration initially limited to only Angkas and then added two more later the number of motorcycle taxi companies under its pilot program to study the business although there were other interested parties. It also allocated only 15,000 driver slots for each of the three participants.

Angkas, benefiting from its headstart, borrowed most of Move It’s slots since the latter was too small to use up its allocation. Angkas claims to have about 30,000 drivers now to Move It’s 1,000.

“We missed the opportunity to adopt an inclusive policy by going with restrictions and caps instead of open competition. But late as it is, the government can and must do it. These habal-habal drivers need to earn without having to look over their shoulder”, he added.

The pilot has been running for three years now and Angkas and Joyride are benefiting from a protected business in the absence of the MC taxi law, he said.

In the last Congress, the House, realizing the need to help the unemployed drivers especially with the pandemic, passed in one day its version of the bill. The Senate promised to reciprocate but did not.