To quote one of my favorite influencers, Bryanboy, "Today was the worst."

Really, couldn't the world's second-worst traffic in the world in 2020 get any "worst-er and "worst-er"? From personal experience, describing the country's "biggest parking place" — Edsa — goes beyond superlatives.

From the technology specialist TomTom, which conducted the survey, Metro Manila traffic was said to have drivers spend an average of 53 percent extra travel time getting stuck in traffic. But aching leg muscles and backs need not tell drivers, even commuters running late for work, that Armageddon has cometh — especially so this year.

Much of my daily commute is heavily dependent on ride-hailing app Grab, which lately has been really hurting my budget. But, what could I do? Just like other workplaces, it's full-on back-to-the-office mode. For real talk, today, braving the holiday-rush chaos cost about P800 for a four-seater ride from my Marcos Highway-end of Pasig City to the Daily Tribune office in Makati. The consolation here was that I got to ride a spacious Innova with a driver who respected my "silence, please" request while I contemplated on the meaning of life. Still, on regular days, P800 used to be two rides already in my area: to go to office and to return home. Geez.

But wait, guess how much I spent yesterday with the same Pasig-Makati route? All of P196 via Joyride. Waiting on the same street where I usually get picked up, I chanced upon a tall, about 5'8", and svelte woman in Joyride uniform and big scooter, I got no choice and as an act of desperation, asked if she could take me to Makati City. Just like that, the woman rider named Lorelie calculated the distance (about 17 kilometers) and gave me the price.

What luck, I thought. Handing me a disposable shower cap and helmet, I rode on the back and the rest was about 30 minutes of a pleasant chat with Lorelie who said she used to work as a promodizer for a super mall. I was initially worried that since her bike didn't have a utility box, my body would be jerking when the bike braked during stoplights or when the speed increased.

The ride was actually a breeze. Lorelie said she's been a rider for three years now and went through proper training before she joined the riding app's team. She added that contrary to what most people still think, not all professional riders are reckless or show-offs.

That notion of riding bikes as unsafe harks back to the unregulated habal-habal rides that were all over the city as a quick fix to commuting and getting stuck in traffic.

Angkas CEO George Royeca, who put up the first app-based motorcycle ride-hailing platform, with his wife Angeline in December 2016 has been collaborating with Congress to draft a law that will regulate motorcycles taxis.

In August 2022, we got to interview the Asian Leadership Conference 2022 honoree in the digital show Pairfect (that I co-host with my editor Dinah Ventura). Though the legislation process is taking too long, Royeca placed his hope about the law's getting passed eventually to protect and promote the rights of motorbike riders and for safer rides among commuters.

Here's an excerpt:
Daily Tribune (DT): One of your advocacies is really pushing for the legislation of safety for bike taxis. How is it moving right now?
GR: We've been trying to pass a law for the last two decades. We've put in a lot of effort and got a lot of results since the first time na sala namin.
From a simple amendment back then, tatanggalin mo 'yung traffic code na not allowed for hire to now that it's actually a comprehensive law. There are very specific revisions, different aspects of the law about riders, insurance, safety regulation, regulatory body, the split between LGU, and national.

DT: We have a new president. Have you kept in touch to talk about more of your advocacy?
GR: I've kept in touch with all the leaders, especially during the campaign to shed light on the sector. Paulit-ulit kong sinasabi na kailangan ninyong pansinin itong sector na ito dahil maraming nangangailangan dito. Hindi lang 'yung mismong biker pati na rin 'yung commuter. We need to put in proper regulations. Mukha naman this administration is really favorable to inclusive mobility.

We have to figure out, not take away, to make it more cohesive. In fact, PBBM had a vlog about Angkas and about the motorcycle taxi industry. I'm very hopeful that this is our chance na bumulusok 'yung industriya at ma-protektahan 'yung sector.

DT: Who's sponsoring the bill in the Senate?
GR: The bill is being sponsored by Senator JV. But back in the 18th Congress, it was co-authored by 24 senators.
It really does cover a serious gap. It impacts a lot of people. You're talking about 18 million motorcycle owners. That's a very big sector. A lot of them use motorcycles for livelihood. We really need to make sure that that's regulated properly for the protection of not just the bikers but also the commuters.

From Royeca, seems like there's so much ado about a big thing. Filipinos' mobility as they recover from the economic impact of the nasty pandemic is at stake. Meanwhile, the bill itself is caught in Congress and the Senate's own heavy traffic of proposed bills to review and pass. Our lawmakers should step on it already and realize the long-delayed law.