“But that decision of the LTRFB is in reality cutting off anywhere from 17,000 to 20,000 existing jobs, which amounts to killing the bikers’ livelihood as they lose their jobs.

It’s the eve of Christmas, but the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has acted more like Herod Antipas and his treatment of Jesus of Nazareth, what with ensuring that close to 20,000 taxi motorcyclists will be losing their means of livelihood — and to think this is all happening during the Christmas season in the Philippines! What a Grinch it is, too!

I’m not a fan of motorcycles (MC) all over the streets of Manila, zigzagging its roads while making some drivers nervous.

However, taxi motorcyclists such as those of Angkas have offered, and continue to offer, a cheaper mode of transportation and, even better, a faster way to get to one’s destination. This can be a relief for the motorbike-riding public, given the horrendous traffic situation in EDSA and the whole of Metro Manila.

Yet now, the LTFRB is limiting the number of Angkas’ company bikers on the road next year, which begins a few days from today. And why is this government agency acting like the Grinch?

Well, apparently, the LTFRB wants two new companies to move in and, in its post, the agency announced the extension of the pilot implementation of motorcycle taxis, allowing a cap of 39,000 registered bikers divided into 10,000 bikers per transport network company for Metro Manila and 3,000 bikers per MC taxi service provider for Metro Cebu operations.

The LTFRB has decreased the number of Angkas bikers allowed to operate next year to 10,000 from 27,000, the motorcycle taxi firm said in a statement posted Saturday.

The government agency earlier announced that the government has allowed the extension of Angkas’ pilot run for another three months and gave two new operators the right to participate, although LTFRB also imposed a 10,000-biker limit per transport network company for Metro Manila.

But that decision of the LTFRB is in reality cutting off anywhere from 17,000 to 20,000 existing jobs, which amounts to killing the bikers’ livelihood as they lose their jobs.

It just doesn’t make sense. Why kill 17,000 to 20,000 motorbikers’ jobs just to give way to new players? Angkas bikers certainly have already invested part of their earnings or borrowed funds to buy their motorbikes. They enjoy a job and a steady income, yet the LTFRB, through its decision, is going to kill at least 17,000 thousand Angkas bikers of their livelihood. So why lead these Angkas bikers to all-out poverty by ensuring that they lose their livelihood?

If new players are desired by the LTFRB, why ensure that some 17,000 Angkas motorbikers are out of work just to give way to the new players?

Why not retain the number of Angkas motorbikers and, at the same time, have JoyRide and Move It going, too? That way, there will be more employed Filipinos helping the economy to move faster.

The 39,000 authorized registered bikers will be divided among Angkas and new players JoyRide and Move It.

Truth is, a lot of working people prefer taking motorbikes as their mode of transportation, as it is deemed to be cheaper and cooler than being in a jeepney. Even other motor-biking companies are now being called by their clients for deliveries of their packages that were in the past done by private cars, anywhere in Metro Manila. The same is done in other cities, and it is a popular mode for delivery of items. Faster and cheaper too, despite surcharges.

It is also true that traffic has really gone haywire, and it is perhaps better for those who prefer to take motorbikes to go and get to their destinations faster.

Even Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade and other officials of the Department of Transportation last week reportedly experienced the struggles of Filipino commuters when they inspected the railways, as these officials suffered the long queues and cramped trains when the DoTr chief boarded the MRT-3 at Taft Avenue Station.

Stealing Christmas should be a crime! LTFRB is a real Grinch and maybe even a Herod Antipas combined.

Herod ordered the killing of first-born babies. LTFRB ordered the killing of Angkas’ bikers’ livelihoods.

It isn’t a Merry Christmas for the Angkas bikers and their riders.

What a mean-spirited Grinch the LTFRB has become!