THE PROPOSED local law for regulating the operations of habal-habal, motorcycles that are informally used as public utility vehicles, has been rejected by the Cebu City council’s committee on laws, ordinances, and styling. Councilor Sisinio M. Andales, committee chairperson, said the basis for the disapproval is that there is no national law that will support it. “Unless and until a national law be enacted regulating motorcycle-for-hire or habal-habal, this committee is constrained to opine that the proposed ordinance is beyond the power of this Sanggunian (council) to enact,” read a portion of the committee report. Councilor Pastor M. Alcover, Jr., proponent of the measure, said he is dismayed with the decision considering that habal-habals have been operating for over 20 years. “The government has not done anything to regulate this kind of transportation, which is being used by the public because of traffic situation of the city,” he said. — The Freeman

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