Del Mar: Habal-Habal Bill now up to Senate

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Cebu City North District Representative Raul del Mar, the author of the House Bill that proposes for the legalization of habal-habal (motorcycles-for-hire) is now looking forward for the approval of its counterpart in the Senate.

The House of Representatives approved the bill on its third and final reading last Monday, February 4.

“I’m happy that it was finally approved before the Congress will take a break. I was working very hard to pushing it, to make sure it is approved before the break,” he added.

The Congress adjourned on Wednesday, February 6, as preparation for the election period of the May 2019 polls.

In a phone interview with Cebu Daily News Digital, Del Mar said he has sent a communication to the Senate, requesting them to have the proposal approved in the upper chamber of Congress.

“We sent a communication already, transmitted to the Senate, stating that we already approved the bill. We are also asking to consider the bill’s approval already,” Del Mar said.

Del Mar authored House Bill No. 8959 that seeks the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to issue an order to recognize habal-habals as a legal mode of transportation. It was co-authored by Cebu City South District Representative Rodrigo ‘Bebot’ Abellanosa. 

Both Del Mar and Abellanosa are political allies under the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) party led by Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, who is also vocal on his intentions to legalize habal-habal operations.

When asked about DOTr’s plans to form a technical working group (TWG) to assess if there will be no legal impediments allowing habal-habal to be a mode of transportation, Del Mar said he does not mind.

“They can do anything they like but the House already approved its Bill, which will soon be enacted into a law,” he said. /bjo