Angkas riders protest a proposal limiting membership to 10,000 riders per ride hailing service. Jire Carreon, ABS-CBN News

Ride-hailing firms Angkas and Move It denied Wednesday exceeding the number of riders they are allowed to have under the government’s motorcycle taxi pilot implementation program.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) earlier issued show cause orders against both ride-hailing services after they supposedly breached their respective rider allocations of 15,000 in Metro Manila, 3,000 in Cebu, and 3,000 in Cagayan de Oro.

Under the pilot program, the LTFRB said there should only be a total of 45,000 motorcycle taxi riders in the National Capital Region, 9,000 in Cebu, and 9,000 in CDO.

This is to be shared equally among the two players and Joyride.

“We ask them to submit a monthly report to us and based on the monthly report, one of them had already exceeded by a few thousand. 27,000 na,” said LTFRB Chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III, referring to Angkas.

“Move It— they have admitted they have 17,000 right now. 15,000 lang dapat 'yan so there is also a breach,” he added.

But in an interview with ABS-CBN News, Angkas CEO and Co-Founder George Royeca insisted that the company still only has over 23,000 riders in Metro Manila, which he said was allowed by regulators several years ago.

Legalizing motorcycle taxis eyed after 4-year pilot study

Back in February 2020, the Department of Transportation Technical Working Group (TWG) on Motorcycle Taxi announced that it would allow Angkas to deploy 23,164 riders in Metro Manila after Move It was unable to fill up the 15,000 slots assigned to it.

“Nagkaroon po ng redistribution noon. That’s why I’m also a little bit shocked…. We’re able naman to provide sufficient proof that there was a revision in the guidelines that is also based on the releases of LTFRB,” said Royeca, who physically appeared before the LTFRB to address the allegations.

For Royeca, it would be unfair for regulators to revoke those extra slots given to Angkas even if Move It already has the ability to scale up.

“Hindi rin fair sa ating mga bikers na naghirap pong maka-qualify, na naging trabaho na nila yun, tapos matatanggalan sila ng trabaho. Kung ano yung nabigay na caps, yun na po yung mananatili sa mga (motorcycle) taxi operators,” he said.

Meanwhile, Move It was a no-show during the hearing.

Apart from alleged overboarding, it was also flagged for its failure to report the activation, deactivation, and reactivation of its riders.

But in an email sent to the LTFRB, the ride-hailing firm’s general manager, Wayne Jacinto, claimed that it has remained compliant with the revised general guidelines for the motorcycle taxi pilot study.

“Move It has only onboarded within the 15,000 riders allowed in Metro Manila as clearly stated in the pilot guidelines and has reported this to the TWG whenever we were required to submit,” he said.

Based on the data it submitted to the TWG last May 2024, Move It said it had 14,662 riders in Metro Manila, 2,723 in Metro Cebu, and 361 in Cagayan de Oro.

But digital advocacy network Digital Pinoys, which filed the complaint against Move It, argued that this number exceeds the motorcycle taxi firm’s rider cap since thousands of its slots were already given to other players.

“During that time, they were only able to onboard 7,000 riders. After that, walang ibinigay na dagdag na alokasyon. So kung anuman yung sobra doon sa 7,000 ay overboarded na,” said Digital Pinoys national campaigner Ronald Gustilo.

Meanwhile, Jacinto also questioned why Move It competitor Angkas, on several occasions, has publicized that it has a 50,000-strong fleet when the overall cap for Metro Manila is only 45,000.

The TWG said it will review the statements and pieces of evidence submitted by the two parties and will come up with a decision of whether the motorcycle taxi players would be penalized or suspended by Friday.

The LTFRB’s stricter enforcement comes as the agency tries to curb the number of colorum motorcycle taxis plying the streets this Christmas season travel rush.

“Those who breached the number are not authorized so walang mga insurance mga yan. Anytime may mangyari sa kanila sa daan, walang sasagot na insurance company,” warned Guadiz.

RISK OF SKEWING MOTORCYCLE TAXI PILOT STUDY?

Guadiz also urged motorcycle taxi firms to comply with the rider cap so as not to distort the results of the pilot study.

“We are revising our numbers, our data right now kasi ang data namin is 45,000 (motorcycle riders in Metro Manila) and then ang epekto sa traffic… ilan ang nabawas (na pasahero) sa jeep, ilan ang nabawas sa tricycle. Yun pala, it’s more than 45,000,” he said.

“If you plan to increase, tapusin muna natin yung pilot study, tapusin muna natin ang batas,” added Guadiz.

Guadiz said this may further hamper the process of passing into law the Motorcycles-For-Hire bill, which would legitimize motorcycle taxis as a form of transportation.

“Because imagine, if they ask me the data, tapos sa side namin mali-mali pala yung data so anong magiging basehan ng batas? Mali-mali rin,” he said.

The measure is still pending at the Senate. But Guadiz is worried that senators may not be able to pass it on time as it is because of the holiday and election season breaks.

He warned that this could mean the end of motorcycle taxi operations in the country.

“The resolution dies with the 19th congress. So wala nang legal basis yung pagtakbo nila sa kalye… All over the Philippines, roughly, it’s about 59,000 riders. Maraming mawawalan ng hanapbuhay… That will give rise, ang kinatatakot namin, yung mga colorum o habal-habal ” he said.

“Kaya minamadali namin ang Senate na ipasa yung batas,” he added.

Although Guadiz did note that delivery riders would not be affected.

Royeca also joined in on the LTFRB’s call for the speedy passage of the bill by the Senate.

“I think Congress also issued a resolution that allows a transitory period while the law is being finalized so I think that covers the existing bikers that are on the road. I hope naman that they don’t lose their jobs just because we are not able to pass the law. It’s not their fault,” said Royeca.

But Royeca, who is running for a party-list seat to represent gig economy workers, said he hopes the Senate makes some changes to the lower house-approved version of the bill, particularly adding in mandatory benefits for riders.

He also wants two separate laws for motorcycle taxis and delivery riders.

“I think that having it in one bill kind of muddles the whole entire thing. We need to be able to have a clear delineation of who’s responsible for what, what type of protocols and safety training are needed for ferrying a passenger and ferrying cargo,” he said.