Angkas: Motorcycle taxis will fill public transport gap

Angkas hopes that the guidelines for the return of app-based motorcycle taxi apps will be issued soon so that players can help in ferrying Filipinos from one point to another to help the government implement its economic recovery plan.

George Royeca, the company’s chief transport advocate, said his group is ready to operate, noting the company’s efforts to train drivers on how Angkas would operate in the new normal.

“Angkas has been through a very interesting journey. Safety has always been our primordial concern it’s in our DNA. Over the months we’ve really focused on how to make motorcycle taxis safe during this pandemic, and i think we’ve accomplished that,” he said via SMS.

He said motorcycle taxis would be crucial in addressing the gap in public transportation during the pandemic, explaining that only 40 percent of public transportation is available for 60 percent of the workforce that are required to physically go back to work.

“The third phase of the national economic plan is really about economic recovery. We really need to co- exist with the virus and we really want to open the economy and save jobs, slowly and safely as well," Royeca said.

“We don’t talk about reopening the economy if there’s no public transportation so we really need to constantly increase the supply in the different modes of transportation as safely as possible so that we can accommodate this restart or rebuilding of our nation.”

He ensured that Angkas will follow the protocols and guidelines that will be set by the regulators, noting that his group has already rolled out several health safety initiatives.

“Angkas is going to be a good benefit to the riding public. First of all it’s open air ventilation, it’s point to point. We’ve spent so many months working with the government and medical experts to come up with the necessary safety protocols to ensure each ride is safe," he said.

“In fact, over a month ago we focused on the barriers and did a pilot study during the MECQ [modified enhanced community quarantine] when we gave free rides to medical frotnliners, and after 10,000 rides, there wasn’t a single issue on road safety or transmission of the virus.”

Last week, the Inter- Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases gave the go signal for the return of motorcycle taxis on the road, after the House of Representatives approved the said initiative.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board along with the Interagency Motorcycle Taxi Technical Working Group will help craft the guidelines for the resumption of operations of motorcycle taxis.

“We hope to be ferrying tens and thousands of commuters very very soon,” Royeca said.

Angkas’ fleet has over 30,000 riders.