Solon rejects cap on bikers in pilot program

FILE: The Department of Transportation-Technical Working Group (DOTr-TWG) on motorcycle taxis chair Antonio Gardiola Jr. said the TWG would recommend the termination of the study due to a “legal rigmarole” that failed the gathering of data due to the actions being taken by one of the players. (PNA photo by Joey O. Razon)

MANILA — Senator Imee Marcos on Thursday said she is against imposing any cap on the number of motorcycle taxis participating in the pilot test run, saying such move is “unmerited” and “anti-competition.”

“Ayaw ko talaga ng cap kahit taasan pa nila, kasi (I reject any cap even if they raise it because) it’s really anti-competitive. I can understand later on if the data is in at nakita natin ang takbo ng tatlong kumpanya, at makikita natin kung nakakadagdag ba sila o bawas sa trapik, kaya nga test (and we have seen how the three companies operate and see if they add to or lessen the traffic, that’s why it’s called a test),” she said.

“But at this point in time, a cap is unfair competition, it’s really a restriction to trade that’s unmerited and will not help us at all,” she said.

Marcos was referring to the recent action of the Department of Transportation’s Technical Working Group extending the operation of motorcycle taxis during the pilot period that ends on March 23.

The TWG also agreed to increase the number of riders from 30,000 to 45,000 for the three providers– Angkas, JoyRide and Move It.

It also expanded its pilot test to Cebu and Cagayan de Oro and allocated a cap of 18,000 riders for both provinces.

In urging the DOTr to lift the cap on riders, Marcos said the data from the pilot test run is crucial in crafting a law that will regulate motorcycle taxis to ensure the safety of the riding public.

“I think we have to live with motorcycles for a while. It may not be the best, it may not be the safest or most comfortable, but in the absence of the public transports that are being planned, wala tayong magagawa (we cannot do anything),” she said.

She said this is especially true in the provinces, where motorcycles have become the transport of choice, particularly in areas that are “under-served or completely unserved by public transport.”

“Hayaan muna lahat yan tumakbo (Let’s just allow them all to operate for the time being) … gawan na lang natin ng (let us just craft) regulations to ensure that there are certain precautions,” Marcos said.