Legalization of motorcycle taxis to be fast-tracked
THE HOUSE of Representatives aim to pass a measure seeking to legalize motorcycle taxis in the Philippines before the President’s state of the nation address (SONA), a congressman said on Tuesday.
The House transportation committee’s technical working group will hold its fourth meeting in the next few weeks to firm up changes to House Bill 3412, Party-list Rep. and bill author Ramon Rodrigo L. Gutierrez told a news briefing. “If priority is granted to this bill, hopefully before SONA this bill be done.”
At the weekend, Mr. Romualdez asked the chamber to fast-track the bill that would allow the operation of motorcycle taxis.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. last week said his government is working with Singapore-based Grab Holdings Ltd. as it seeks to legalize motorcycle taxis and relax regulations on ride-hailing services.
He issued the statement after a meeting with officials of Grab, which the presidential palace said was seeking his support to increase its Philippine ridership to 500,000 from 300,000 daily.
Grab has generated more than 100,000 jobs locally, Mr. Marcos said during his meeting with company officials, the palace said in a statement on Feb. 21.
Grab, led by co-founder and chief executive officer Anthony Tan told the President its rides have risen to 300,000 daily from 8,000 a day after it acquired Move It, another ride-hailing brand, in 2022.
The company has been calling for the removal of the cap on ride-hailing units and the legalization of motorcycle taxis.
The law prohibits two-wheeled vehicles for public transport. Transport advocates have said legalizing motorcycle taxis could aid mobility and generate jobs. The bill is pending in the transportation committees of both the Senate and House.
Since 2019, the Department of Transportation has allowed the operation of motorcycle taxis under a pilot study of its reliability and safety. — B.M.D. Cruz
