DESPITE the Cebu City Council’s move to reject a proposed ordinance seeking to regulate motorcycle-for-hire or habal-habal operations in the city, Mayor Tomas Osmeña said he would pursue this plan to set up a system for habal-habal drivers.
The Council’s committee on laws headed by Councilor Sisinio Andales said on last week’s regular session that although the motorcycles for hire are part of the Cebuanos daily commute needs, allowing them to operate would be against the law.
“Unless and until a national law be enacted regulating motorcycle for hire or habal-habal, this committee is constrained to opine that the proposed ordinance is beyond the power of the Sanggunian to enact,” read the committee report.
But Osmeña said that an ordinance would not be necessary to set up the system since it would not compel all drivers to be part of it.
He said only interested habal-habal drivers would have to enroll in the program to be accredited by the city.
“We don’t need to form an ordinance. We will just have a program that is purely voluntary,” said Osmeña.
The program, Osmeña said, would be an answer to the worries of the public who has difficulty in getting a ride, especially during the night.
“First, you don’t need to go to the corners to look for habal-habal. Second, you will have the assurance that the person you are dealing with are screened,” the mayor said.
Osmeña further said that the system would be similar to that of Angkas, where the passenger would be informed who would be dispatched to service him and the cost of the ride.
Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB-7) Director Ahmed Cuizon, however, said that asking for fare would make the motorcycles be considered as a public transportation vehicle.
Cuizon declined to comment further on the proposed transportation system of the Cebu City government, saying that he would wait for the city government to present the program to LTFRB before he would give his recommendation.