WEDNESDAY / JAN{JARY 22, 2o2o

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By Krixia Subingsubing, several guidelines for the study, course I understand the need tinue the study and to talk with she said. anced with competition princi-
Melvin Gascon including operating outside the of the commuters for an alter- Angkas and the other twooper- Quimbo, a former
mem- ples," she said.
rnd Marlon Ramos pilot area (Manila and Cebu) native mode," said cardiola, a ators-MoveIt and JoyRide. ber of the Philippine Com- The pilot study seeks to de-
@Team_Inquirer and not providing its drivers member of the Land Transpor- The LTFRB began a six- petition Conmission, lauded terqine the appropriate regu-
safety vests. tation Franchising and Regula- month pilot test of motorcy- the TWG for resorting to "evi- latory intervention to ensure
iaced with a firestorm of ob- In a television interview, tory Board.(LTFRB). cles-for-hire with Angkas in dence-based" policymaking, as passenger safety, according to
ections from commufers, law- TWG chat Antonio Gardiola Jr. He dicl not mention the June last year. It extended the she branded the initial move the Marikina lawmaker,
nakers and motorcycle taxi said the body would continue stand of Mr. Duterte, who is in testing with the addition ofJoy- to withdraw the study as "anti- "ln the process. it should]
)perators, not to mention Pres- the study "but then we would favor of continuing the pilot Ride and Movelt until the third competitive." not kill jobs, narrow cor'sum-
dent Duterte's stand on the come up with [new] guidelines run to help legislatdrs write a week of March. er choice, or eradicate market
natter, an interagency t€ch- and talk to the providers with law regulating the new mode of The TWG is composed of Undue advantage to Grab options that have the potential
rical working group (TWG) on the guidance of Transport Sec- public transportatior( ofrcials from the LTFRB, L4nd Had the TWG ended the pi- to effectively compete with
luesday said it would continue retaryArthur Tugade." "He (the Presideht) agreed Transportation Ofrce, Metro- lot run, it would have put up a transportation options such as
he pilot study to.determine to put on hold the ITWG order] politan Manila Development "barrier to entry" in the mar- Grab," she said.
vhether motorbikes are safe Victory for commuters apprehending ldrivers of mo- Authority, the Philippine Na- ket for on-demand ind plat- AltMobility coconvenor Ira
br public transportation. SeIL crace Poe said the TWG toro :le taxis]," Sen. Christo- tional Police Highway Patrol form-based private transport, Cruz objected to the termina-
It was a turnaround from decision to take back its decision pher 'Bong" Go told reporters Group and i-ACT. which includes Grab, according tion of of rhe test run. "Thefe is
he TWG announcement on pulling the plug on the opera- <in Tuesday, Marikina Rep. Stella Luz to Quimbo. clearly a need for [motorcycle
vlonday that it was canceling tions of motorcycles for hire was "So the pilot run will con- Quimbo welcomed the LTFRB'S "Because Angkas and otler taxisj. They cannot just stop it
he second and final leg of the a victory for commuters, tinue for the meantime until "last-minute" decision to allow operators potentially compete because they don't know what
)ilot test that was supposed to "The continuation of the we have come up with amend- motorcycle service providers to against Grab, this barrier to en- to do next while people are get-
Ind on March 23 because ser- pilot operation of motorcycle ments to the existing law ... As continue tleir operations. try would pr'ovide the latter an ting stranded;" she said.
,ice pioneer Angkas had filed taxi is a triumph for commuters of the moment, their business "If the LTFRB is really an undue advantage," the econo- Commuter groups like Ko-
:ourt cases against the bodx in need of alternative mode of will be allowed to continue. No- ally of the riding public, it mist-lawmaker said. myut, Lawyeis for Commuters
hat prevented it from effec- transportation," Poe said in a body will lose their livelihood," should complete the study with "The move will limit con- Safety and Protectioil and Move.
ively assessing this mode of statement. said the senator, Mr. Duterte'3 the end goal of finding an im- sumer choices prematurely and Manila used to be part of the
ransportation. It was "the sentiment lof longtime aide. mediate solution to the prob- poslibly, unfairly. Consumer TWG'S discussions before the
The TWG also sought to the senatorsl" that prompted Gardiola said Go also had lems posed by the lack and high safety is paramount, but such . group reconstituted itself into a
rlacklist Angkas for defuing the TWG'S about-face but "of asked him and Tugade to con- cost of public transportation," must also be bal- government-only body. rr,ro
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