Legality of Angkas JV with city questioned

Opposition-allied Cebu City Councilors questioned the “inconsistencies” of the report of the committee on laws, ordinances, and styling on the proposed joint venture project of the city government and Angkas.

Despite opposition of three opposition-allied councilors, at least nine councilors voted in favor of the committee report chaired by city Councilor Sisinio Andales.

“This committee finds the provisions of the aforesaid MOA to be in order, and complies with basic requirement of a valid contract. Also, this committee sees the need to provide solutions in solving traffic woes in Cebu City, and the intent of the MOA is one of the solutions,” reads a portion of the report.

The report was about the endorsement of City Administrator Nigel Paul Villarete who said the city’s Joint Venture-Selection Committee is evaluating the unsolicited proposal project of Angkas with the city government.

Villarete forwarded to the City Council the proposed memorandum of agreement with the city and the DBDOYC Inc. or the Angkas for the pilot testing of the project.

To further study if the project is viable, he said the city government and Angkas intended to enter into an initial agreement to pilot test the online booking system.

Andales said the committee noted that the proposed MOA is to systematize the operations of motorcycle-for-hire in the city since Angkas will use its hailing applications in providing motorcycle services for its constituents.

The report was approved by councilors Andales, Margarita Osmeña, Mary Ann de los Santos, Joy Augustus Young, Alvin Arcilla, Eugenio Gabuya, Jerry Guardo, and Franklyn Ong.

Three councilors who voted against the report were Jocelyn Pesquera, Pastor Alcover,Jr., and Erik Espina while councilors who abstained from voting were Renato Osmeña, Jr., Jose Daluz III, Joel Garganera, Raymond Alvin Garcia, and Eduardo Rama.

Pesquera said she could not understand the “inconsistency” of Andales’ report regarding the operations of habal-habal in the city.

She said there was a report before issued saying that the habal-habal is “illegal” that is why the proposed ordinance of Alcover aiming to regulate the operations of habal-habal in the city was rejected.

“Why are we now entering a MOA with a company engaged in an ‘illegal activity? Will this report change the previous issued report?” she said.

Alcover agreed with Pesquera, saying that Angkas is for business and profit of its owners while regulating the habal-habal operations would mean livelihood to the drivers.

Alcover said the Angkas cannot be used in mountain barangay because of the absence of signal in the area.

Garcia, for his part, said the council should be precautious in this contract because of the legal aspect of this transaction.

“We can’t have a contract because once it will be put to the floor, we might be allowing the mayor to sign an illegal contract because of the illegal subject matter,” he said.

Councilor Margarita Osmeña said the approval of the committee report does not mean the mayor will sign the contract already.

She said any councilor has yet to introduce a resolution authorizing the mayor to sign the contract so they can still discuss the matter once submitted to the legislative body.