Two solons back Angkas regulation; Cebu City hearing eyed

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said two Cebuano lawmakers proposed that local governments be allowed to regulate the operations of Angkas, a motorcycle-for-hire service during a House transportation committee Wednesday.

“ATM (At the moment): speaking at the Congressional Committee on Transportation in regards to Angkas. Cong. Raul Del Mar (of Cebu City’s north district) and Cong. Red Durano (of Cebu’s 5th district) proposed in their amendments to just leave the decision to the LGUs so we can solve our own problems. I thank them for that,” Osmeña’s Facebook post read.

In a radio interview, the mayor said he argued for LGU regulation on Angkas and added that the House transportation committee will hold a hearing on the issue in Cebu City.

Due to the ongoing construction of the underpass in Natalio Bacalso road, the mayor had been vocal in lobbying for LGU regulation of Angkas.

City Councilor Joel Garganera said Angkas and habal-habal operators provide a viable transport alternative to Cebu City’s traffic congestion.

“Habal-habal exists because our public transport is a failure. Our roads are very narrow and the alternative is two-wheel transport. But the safety of the passengers is at risk. But what choice do we have other than to get stuck in traffic?,” he told the reporters yesterday.

“Angkas is also a way of professionalizing the habal-habal drivers so the passengers are not only assured of their safety but also protected from indiscriminate fare increases as well as being victimized by unscrupulous drivers,” he said.