For some months now, portions of the national highway in Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City has become a terminal for motorcycles-for-hire commonly called habal-habal.
Not only occupying the portion below the Mambaling skywalk and near the corner going inside the Tabada public market, habal-habal drivers are also in the area near the lechon (roasted pig) stalls in Jai-Alai near the corner of Ybañez Compound.
Just by merely looking at them, these habal-habal drivers appeared to be organized judging from the color-coded sweatshirts that serve as their uniforms.
Their uniforms also carry the names of their organizations. There are about four groups operating in the area.
The habal-habal drivers are mostly catering to employees and customers of the newest mall that opened in the South Road Properties.
Prior to the opening of the mall, habal-habal drivers were scarcely seen or at least they hide from the preying eyes of the authorities. Near the side entrance of the mall, habal-habal drivers are also milling around, obviously waiting for passengers.
A security guard is seen near the area suggesting their presence near the mall is tolerated.
The habal-habal also appeared to be regulated because they don’t only wear uniforms but also come back to the same area to pick up passengers. And what is evident is that their operation is being tolerated by authorities.
By authorities, I mean the enforcers of the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) who obviously ignored their presence. Who could have missed them with their glaring colored uniform?
Regulation is the best option in a complicated environment. This is good as long as there is an enabling law used as basis for the policies imposed.
The regulations that these habal-habal drivers imposed on themselves are limited to their uniforms and illegal terminals on the side of a national highway.
I would have been happy if they also charge a commuter friendly fare and at least strictly follow the law requiring the wearing of helmets for their passengers. It would also be better if they limit the number of persons they transport.
For a distance of little more than a kilometer from their improvised terminal to the giant mall, they charged a minimum of P20 per person. This is far more expensive than the fare of a passenger jeepney that only collects P7 for a five kilometer trip.
They don’t only overcharge, they also carry passengers more than the capacity of their motorcycle.
In this matter, several laws have been violated, and to mention some: the public utility vehicle franchise, prohibition against single motorcycles as means for public transport, no parking law, the regulation on the number of passengers a motorcycle can carry and a lot more.
I don’t think that these violations are hard to miss on the part of our authorities.
Like policemen who are working overtime to eradicate drug lords, I hope that our traffic authorities would also check on this before Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña assumes office and gives them a verbal lashing in public.
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