A BILL seeking to legalize ride-hailing motorcycle services or motorcycle taxis is inching closer to enactment as the House of Representatives is expected to approve the measure on third and final reading before the final adjournment of the 18th Congress on February 5, just three days before start of the campaign period for the May 9 elections.
“I’m hoping (House Bill 10572) will become a law in the next few months,” said Samar Rep. Edgar Sarmiento, chair of the House committee on transportation, adding that President Duterte has enough time to sign the measure into law before he steps down in June.
Sarmiento said the Senate is also close to approving its own version of the bill with nine session days left before the adjournment.
“If the House and Senate bills are similar, we won’t need a (bicameral committee meeting).
The president can sign the bill. We are given nine session days up to Feb 5. I think we can do it,” he said.
The bill, which is a consolidation of 18 other proposals, seeks to legalize and also regulate the operations of firms providing motorcycle-for-hire services.
A pilot program run by the Department of Transportation limits participants to just three transport firms: Angkas, JoyRide and Move It.
The DOT earlier ordered Move It to dissolve its partnership with ride-sharing giant Grab, which has the largest subscriber base of some five million potential riders.
Once it becomes a law, all qualified companies that employ motorcycle riders via ride-hailing apps to ferry passengers or deliver food, parcels and mails will be able to secure a franchise from the government.
HB 10572 is meant to address the needs of millions of Filipinos for a reliable, accessible and economical mode of transport, amid a shortage in public utility vehicles because of mobility curbs meant to address the COVID-19 pandemic. It will also create jobs for hundreds of thousands who own motorcycles and in need of a steady source of income.
