Displaced motorcycle taxi riders may opt for ‘habal habal’

Angkas riders have been reduced from to 27,000 to just 10,000 to allow JoyRide PH and Move It to join the motorcycle taxi industry. (Yummie Dingding)

The reduction of motorcycle taxi Angkas’ accredited riders may result in some of the displaced employees going underground instead of joining the two other new players.

This was the concern of Albay Rep. Joey Salceda , who also sympathized with the 17,000 Angkas riders who suddenly found themselves jobless.

“The reduction may compel motorbike drivers to become colorum riders or habal-habal, which were once the headache of traffic enforcement,” said Salceda.

”Habal habal” is the illegal motorcycle taxi system, with some accomodating more than the allowed one back ride.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) placed at 10,000 each the number of accredited riders of Angkas, JoyRide PH and Move It for the motorcycle taxi pilot run from 23 December until 23 March.

The better option could have been to open ride-hailing to several others,” added Salceda in a statement.

Salceda, also the chair of the Ways and Means committee, said motorcycles enhance mobility and ease traffic and will be beneficiaries in the proposed amendment to the Motor Vehicle Road Users’ Tax that seeks to exempt them from the road users tax.

“We will have to look into the issue amid complaints from biker-partners of Angkas to arrive at a more reasonable, effective and efficient solution to the traffic mess,” said Salceda.

Angkas chief transport advocate George Royeca also feared that the two new players may have already reached the maximum 10,000 riders and their displaced employees no longer have options.

The LTFRB said there can be no monopoly in the motorcycle taxi industry.

“Monopoly goes against public interest. What the government wants to promote is healthy competition among service providers, to ensure that the commuter can avail of the best choice,” an LTFRB statement read.