The Department of Transportation’s technical working group (TWG) on motorcycle taxis submitted a proposal to the House transportation committee to extend the pilot study in major cities outside Metro Manila.
House transportation committee chair and Antipolo 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop said the DOTr-TWG wanted to extend the MC pilot study to Cavite, Rizal, Laguna, Batangas, Iloilo, Bacolod, Pampanga, Davao, Zamboanga, Legazpi, General Santos, Pangasinan and Baguio.
The pilot study is currently confined to Metro Manila, Cebu and Cagayan de Oro.
“We consider the final recommendations of your ongoing pilot study as an important source of information and critical component in our legislative process,” Acop said.
“Since you gave us six months, you have to finish that [study] otherwise, the TWG of this committee will not finish its work,” he said.
Land Transportation Office chief Vigor Mendoza said the allotment of 45,000 motorcycle taxis in Manila already reached its limit.
Mendoza said there is an allocation of 63,000 motorcycle taxis nationwide, of which 54,000 are currently enrolled.
Cloud Panda Philippines Inc., Taxi Philippines Inc., E Pick Me Up Inc., Easy Way Transport Service and Multipurpose Cooperative, Para Express Technology Services Inc., Grab Philippines and Market Innovators Inc. expressed intent to join the MC pilot study, he said.
The National Confederation of Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (NACTODAP) earlier asked the government to disperse motorcycle taxi operations beyond Metro Manila.
The group expressed concern over the overwhelming concentration of such services in the capital city and the potential adverse effects on tricycle-related livelihood.