Cebu mayor ready to sign local law regulating motorcycles as PUV

CEBU CITY may soon regulate the operation of motorcycles as public utility vehicles (PUV), known locally as

habal-habal, as Mayor Tomas R. Osmeña said on Tuesday that he will approve the proposed ordinance on this as soon as the city council passes it. “I’m going border line breaking the law because the law says you cannot regulate these things but we are going to do it anyway,” the mayor told reporters. In November last year, ride-hailing motorcycle service Angkas was ordered to stop operations nationwide by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, citing Republic Act 4136 or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code, which prohibits private motorcycles from being used as a PUV. The Cebu proposal is now with the council’s committee on laws, ordinances, and styling for comments and recommendations. It will also undergo a public hearing before the council deliberates on it for the last time. Mr. Osmeña said while he will support the regulation as a whole, he will not allow the city to collect registration fees. “The city is not interested in making money. We are interested in providing a service. This is not a business for the city,” he said. The ordinance proposed by Councilor Pastor M. Alcover, Jr. would require drivers and operators of habal-habal to pay P250 to P500 as annual registration fee and will be subject to local government regulations. — The Freeman >> See full story on