Imee Marcos: Lift ban on Angkas, efficiently enforce rules

Governor Imee Marcos today said government should enforce stricter operational and driving regulations on motorcycle ride-hailing services like Angkas instead of imposing a total ban on the innovative transport-for-hire scheme.

Marcos stressed government must keep an open mind about alternate transport options for the riding public given the perennial traffic and commuting problems experienced by commuters.

“The solution is not to ban them (because) that’s really absurd. We should just allow them to continue operating. What we must do is to put in place very clear guidelines on safety and road worthiness, and on pricing. Policies can also be set on driver conditions, such as imposing a quota on the number of rides per day or on their working or driving hours,” Marcos said.

The governor added complaints involving bad behaviors among transport-hailing service drivers can easily be addressed by the government since all booked ride services are digitally monitored and recorded by transport network vehicle services (TNVS) companies.

“Rude drivers and even abusive customers are reported instantly because it’s a smart system riding application available in just one click in our mobile phones. The names of the drivers and customers, the plate numbers of motorcycles and their booked routes are all recorded and registered. It’s really easy to address these issues (raised against Angkas). We just need to sincerely regulate the industry and enforce laws and guidelines efficiently,” Marcos stressed. (P.R)