MANILA - GrabBike may soon make a comeback, as the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board said the company will be included in the motorcycle taxi pilot study. 

LTFRB Chairperson Atty. Teofilo Guadiz III said the Motorcycle Taxi Technical Working Group (MC Taxi TWG) has issued a letter to Grab Philippines notifying the company of its inclusion in the program. 

Guadiz however also said that Grab's application is still awaiting final regulatory approval. He said Grab can only launch its MC Taxi service after the TWG grants it a license into the pilot. 

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"Concerning the actual activation of any MC Taxi app or service on the Grab app, this agency confirms that Grab is yet to receive full authorization from the MC Taxi TWG," Guadiz said.

But the LTFRB chief also said that there are no guidelines barring Grab from recruiting drivers for their bike-hailing service.

"Rest assured, the LTFRB will continue to work closely with all stakeholders in the industry to maintain fair competition in this fast-growing sector," he added.###

The motorcycle taxi pilot study currently has 3 participants, namely: Angkas, JoyRide, and Move It. 

Congress is aiming to formally legalize motorcycle taxis after several years of having a "pilot study."

Grab's motorcycle ride-hailing service used to operate in the Philippines alongside its four-wheeled service,  but GrabBike was discontinued in 2016 to comply with government regulations back then. 

Meanwhile, motor taxi market leader Angkas has said that it also intends to launch a four-wheeled ride-hailing service.

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