A transport group opposed the proposal of a lawmaker to shut down the operations of Move It, a local motorcycle taxi operator, saying this could affect about 6,500 families.
The United Motorcycle Taxi Community (UMTC), who staged a rally to protest House Committee on Metro Manila Development chairperson and Manila Rep. Rolando Valeriano’s recommendation to shut down the operations of Move It, said that the proposal was an “unjustifiable threat to their livelihoods.”
It said that amid limited employment opportunities and rising prices, the country needs job-generators and not “job-killers” like the proposal of Veleriano.
UMTC representative Romeo Maglunsod expressed deep concern that if adopted, the Valeriano recommendation would affect the lives of 6,500 families.
“Why is Congressman Valeriano killing jobs? Life is hard. Everything is expensive. We have families we need to take care of. If Move It is shut down and we lose our jobs, how will we feed them?” asked Maglunsod.
UMTC representative Jet Cruz appealed to legislators to use their power and influence to provide riders with more job opportunities by opening up the motorcycle taxi industry instead of limiting the number of players in the country.
“This is not just about Move It but about the whole motorcycle taxi industry,” said Cruz.
“There are motorcycle taxi bills pending in Congress that could open the doors to more job opportunities, and we urge House leaders to prioritize this instead of paying attention to recommendations that would rob people of jobs and employment opportunities,” Cruz said.
UMTC member Amor Cañete Pilor said both commuters and riders benefit when there are multiple players in the motorcycle taxi industry.
“Of course on our part, we want to work with a company that can give us better wages and better benefits,” said Pilor.
“Commuters also like Move It because it has the best apps and provides a better experience,” said Pilor.
Another UMTC member, Catherine Lorenzo, said that “if Move It is banned, kawawa ang riders and commuters as they will only have two choices. Why would any lawmaker want that?”
“If Move It is banned, and the remaining two apps—which are so unreliable–are left, then kawawa naman ang drivers and passengers,” Lorenzo said.