COMMUTER rights associations called for a Congressional hearing into the decisions made behind the scenes by government agencies regarding the six-month pilot period extension for motorcycle taxi services, claiming they were not consulted on the matter and that the new entrants joining the pilot program might not offer safe services.

The office of Senator Grace Poe-Llamanzares, who chairs the Senate Committee on Public Services, received a petition from the groups, as did that of Representative Edgar Mary S. Sarmiento of Samar’s first district, who chairs the House Committee on Transportation.

Ariel P. Lim, an adviser to Ms. Poe, said he received the petition Monday from five groups which he identified as Legal Engagement Advocating for Development and Reform (LEADER), Komyut, Move Metro Manila, Transport Watch, and Lawyers for Commuter Safety and Protection (LCSP).

LCSP President Antonio E. Inton, Jr. reading out the petition to reporters, said: “We respectfully urge Congress, both the Senate Committee on Public Services under the chairpersonship of Senator Grace Poe, and the House of Representative Committee on Transportation under the chairpersonship of Rep. Edgar Mary S. Sarmiento, to conduct committee hearings to update the riding public and other stakeholders on the discussions and concessions made during the TWG (technical working group).”

Government agencies initially permitted a six-month pilot period for motorcycle taxis in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu which expires Dec. 26. The Department of Transportation’s (DoTr) TWG has since recommended a six-month extension of the pilot program in order to involve more potential entrants.

The current pilot program only involves motorcycle ride-hailing platform Angkas (DBDOYC, Inc.), after the DoTr’s TWG set guidelines on fares, speed limits and safety equipment.

Mr. Lim told reporters that he expects the public hearing could be held in the first quarter of 2020. “Next year na ‘yan, first quarter, mga ganun (It will happen next year, at around the first quarter)“ he said.

The commuters’ groups claimed in their petition that the TWG did not include them in the decision-making process for the six-moth extension of the program.

“Despite repeated requests from the sector for the TWG to convene, a secret meeting was conducted in November 2019, with solely government agencies in attendance, to make an assessment. Hence, the consumers, advocacy groups and other stakeholders, were excluded from decision making,” they said.

They said it was during the November meeting when the government members of the TWG decided to recommend the six-month extension of the pilot period and allow more potential entrants into the program, instead of allowing the pilot program to expire and for the service to begin regular operations.

The transportation department said in a statement on Dec. 10 that Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Board Member, Retired Police Major General Antonio B. Gardiola, Jr., who heads the TWG, “sees the extension as an expansion of the study by allowing new motorcycle taxi providers to participate in the pilot run in the interest of giving the riding public a wider choice, and thus push the multiple providers to ensure a higher standard of service.”

The LTFRB was asked to comment but had yet to reply as of deadline time.

The Land Transportation and Traffic Code does not permit single motorcycles to operate as public transport, though in some provincial areas without jeepney or tricycle service, motorcycle taxis known as habal-habal are a recognized means of getting around.

Mr. Inton’s LCSP has asked a Quezon City court to stop We Move Things Philippines, Inc. (Joyride), Habal Rides Corp., I-Sabay, Sampa-Dala Corp. and Trans-Serve Corp. from operating. The group said such companies are inadequately organized and expose their customers to undue risk. — Arjay L. Balinbin

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