A commuter safety and protection advocate has dismissed as “useless” the Motorcycle Taxi Technical Working Group (MC-TWG) led by the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) for failing to address complaints and concerns on motorcycles for hire or MC Taxis.
During a congressional hearing of the House committee on transportation, lawyer Ariel Inton, representative of Lawyers for
Commuter Safety and Protection, questioned the legality of the TWG, which oversees the operation of the two-wheeled taxis under a pilot
study put in place in 2019, during the resumption of a public hearing on August 8 aimed at determining the status of the program that has
dragged on for four years.
“We don’t know what kind of animal [the] TWG [is] … it has no legal personality,” Inton told the committee hearing led by panel chair
Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop. “If ever there are complaints, they could not decide (on those). And if they decide, can they implement?”
“In other words … that’s the problem now because the TWG that was created was so limited as to the scope. And so I propose if we could
recommend to Congress, the bigger House to study the necessity of having a TWG,” Inton added.
Acop, in response, corrected Inton by telling him to refer to the text as a guide of House Resolution 2449, which states that “while legislation on the matter is pending in Congress, the DOTr (Department of Transportation) is in the position to address this gap by setting up a pilot program monitoring the operations of motorcycle taxis and overseeing the conduct of the entire transaction from booking the trip to passenger’s arrival destination.”
Per the resolution, said Acop, the DOTR is mandated to “design the pilot program and select pilot areas for implementation nationwide” as
well as “determine the most appropriate and reasonable rules and regulations on this mode of transportation to ensure utmost protection
and safety of the riding public.”
“So it is up to them (LTFRB) … they have the legal personality as stated here,” emphasized Acop.
In the same public hearing, Acop directed LTFRB Chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III to submit the findings of the pilot study that the MC-TWG
was supposed to finish in 2021 so that Congress can act on pending legislation intended to finally legalize and regulate the growing
motorcycle taxi industry.
Acop pointed out that the MC-TWG should already have “all the data and information needed pursuant to House Resolution 2449.”
“Make a report to the House that your study was already terminated and you are coming to a recommendation,” stressed Acop.
Guadiz replied that the MC-TWG will submit its report to the House panel “within 30 days.”