THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) yesterday said it has maintained a cap of 45,000 motorcycle taxis in Metro Manila since 2020.
Teofilo Guadiz III, LTFRB chairperson, said in a statement the LTFRB did not increase the number of MC taxis in the National Capital Region (NCR), explaining it has remained the same number as it was three years ago.
This is in response to major transport groups’ claim that there has been an uncontrolled rise in the number of MC taxis in the country, which are eating up at least 50 percent of their daily income.
The only increase was implemented in Regions III and IV, the LTFRB said.
“The increase was in Regions 3 (at 4,000) and Region 4 (at 4,000),” Guadiz said.
He also belied allegations the Technical Working Group (TWG) for the MC taxi did not submit the result of the study, which became the basis of the passage of a bill at the House of Representatives.
“House Bill 10571 or the motorcycle taxi bill which aims to provide a safe and economical public transportation option by regulating the use of motorcycles was passed by congressmen last October. The bill is now at the Senate Committee on Transportation for deliberations for the eventual approval of its Senate version of the Motorcycle Taxi Law,” Guadiz said.
The decrease in the ridership was a result of the change in work pattern among employees, he added.
“The allegations in the report that the TWG for MC taxi did not submit any report is false. The TWG had submitted the result of its study to the House Committee on Transport and to the Senate Committee on Transportation. The TWG report was the basis for the passage of the bill by the House solons,” Guadiz explained.
“Decrease in ridership was the result of the change in work pattern (work from home, asynchronous academic schedule for schools, increase in use of mass transport like trains and buses),” he added.
The Department of Transportation’s MC taxi pilot study began in 2019, operating in Metro Manila, Cebu and Cagayan de Oro.
LTFRB said only three motorcycle ride-hailing companies are authorized to operate in the country — Angkas, Joyride and Move It, a unit of Grab Philippines.
