For the third time, the proposed ordinance seeking to regulate motorcycle-for-hire or habal-habal was revived in the Cebu City Council.
During last Tuesday’s regular session,. the proposal authored by Cebu City Councilors Pastor Alcover Jr. and Jose Daluz III was referred to the committee on laws.
The two councilors first introduced their measure two years ago and reintroduced in April last year.
In their proposal, Alcover and Daluz said their proposed ordinance to regulate habal-habal was intended to ‘ensure the safety and protection of the riding public’.
If approved, habal-habal drivers and operators will have to pay P250 as registration fee and they are only allowed to carry one passenger. Otherwise, they will be fined P500 for non-registration and overloading.
The proposal also seeks to impose a P2,000 penalty on a habal-habal driver or operator for transporting passengers without any safety helmet.
In October 2016, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña also announced his plans on legitimizing habal-habal to transport school children.