CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — The City Information Office here announced Monday that habal-habal (motorcycle taxis) and bao-bao (tricabs) are not recognized as legal transport services and are excluded from a P7,000 fuel subsidy intended to offset rising fuel costs.

Public Information Officer Jade Adecer issued an advisory citing Department of the Interior and Local Government Memorandum Circular 2020-036. The circular states that bao-bao operating without a proper franchise, motorized tricycle operators permit, or Land Transportation Office registration are considered “colorum,” or unregistered.

Adecer clarified that habal-habal operations are also not recognized as legal public transport services under current law.

“Therefore, the target beneficiaries are limited only to ‘barangay registered and recognized’ motorela drivers,” Adecer said.

The announcement came as the Road Traffic Administration (RTA) opened the window for a second batch of fuel subsidies. The assistance consists of P5,000 from the Department of Social Welfare and Development and an additional P2,000 from the city government.

The local funding represents the first cash rollout since the city was declared under a state of energy emergency. On 8 April, at least 1,350 registered operators and drivers received the first wave of assistance.

To qualify for the second batch, motorela drivers must be registered, have attended required seminars, and have no existing traffic violations with the RTA. Drivers have until 5 p.m. Monday to coordinate with the RTA office.

The financial pressure on informal transport drivers took a violent turn Saturday when a habal-habal driver was hacked to death in a hinterland barangay, reportedly over his inability to pay the daily rental fee for his motorcycle.