HABAL-HABAL
LOCAL governments should be the one to regulate motorcycles-for-hire, commonly known as habal-habal instead of leaving it to the national government to solve the problem of habal-habal drivers.
“I’ll put it in very simple terms without being complicated because the national government cannot solve it. So with the national government, there is no hope at all,” Osmeña said in his press conference yesterday.
He admitted that he was not certain if the LGUs could solve the problem but said there is hope if the LGUs will handle it.
“We cannot stop habal-habal. It’s there. We can pretend that we can wipe out, but you cannot. This is reality,” Osmeña said.
The mayor said that problems like this should be solved by people who are actually on the ground and who know the situation of motorcycles-for-hire in their area.
In this case, these are the local government units (LGUs).
“When you have different LGUs, some will have better ideas, you know, and they can always exchange ideas and national has no idea. All they say is no, that’s their talent, (to say) ‘no’,” Osmeña added.
Osmeña said that if LGUs can regulate motorcycles-for- hire, it can help the consumer.
He added that it can help address traffic, most especially in Cebu City, and can even make the government more credible.
Two Cebuano lawmakers, Congressmen Raul del Mar and Red Durano, proposed that local governments be allowed to regulate the operations of Angkas, a motorcycle-for-hire service, during a House transportation committee hearing last Wednesday.
Osmeña attended the hearing and voiced his support to leave the decision to the LGUs on how to regulate motorcycles-for-hire.
There will be a public hearing in Cebu City to be conducted by the Congressional Committee on Transportation but as to the date Osmeña said that he still is not sure.
“Maybe after a month. And I will gather and invite all the habal-habal drivers in Cebu City,” Osmeña said.