Cebu City Gov’t distributes rice to ‘qualified’ Angkas drivers
Cleofe Catarina, who has been a habal-habal (motorcycle taxi) driver for the last two years, was grateful to the Cebu City Government’s continuing support.
Catarina was among the very few female Angkas drivers who benefited from the rice assistance that the City distributed on Saturday, Feb. 23.
Only 1,507 of the estimated 6,000 habal-habal drivers in the city have qualified for the rice assistance so far.
Assistant City Administrator Annabeth Cuizon said drivers must submit an accomplished profile sheet, a voter’s registration, proof of possession of a motorcycle, a certificate of indigency and a member certification from any habal-habal association if they want to be beneficiaries.
The requirements will be submitted to the Two-Wheeled Motor Vehicle Monitoring, Coordinating and Assistance Unit (TMV-MCAU).
After compliance, a certificate will be given to them, which they will bring along with a valid government ID to claim the rice.
Drivers still completing their requirements can still claim their rice even after Saturday at the TMV-MCAU office on the 9th floor of the executive building of City Hall.
In a separate interview, Councilor Margarita Osmeña said the rice subsidy was a temporary help to habal-habal drivers.
She said the City would continue to help them to operate legally.
“The rice is just a way to alleviate the current situation but it will be consumed after days and I believe what they really want is to continue with their livelihood and not be afraid that what they are doing is illegal,” she said.
The councilor also clarified that the activity was not politically motivated.
Her husband Mayor Tomas Osmeña had issued Executive Order 45 Series of 2018 to grant rice subsidies to all qualified habal-habal drivers in the city after the Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order on a Mandaluyong City court ruling that allowed motorcycle-hailing app Angkas to operate, rendering the operation of all motorcycles-for-hire illegal.