Representative Cayetano to keep ‘open mind’ on proposed law on habal-habal

Representative Pilar Juliana “Pia” Cayetano (Taguig City, second district) says that that lawmakers have to carve out solutions for the transportation needs of the people. | Photo by Doris Mae Mondragon

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The proponents of the proposed law regulating habal-habal (motorcycle-for-hire) may have found another ally in Congress.

Representative Pilar Juliana “Pia” Cayetano (Taguig City, second district), in an interview with reporters in Cebu City on Tuesday evening (January 29), said she was keeping “an open mind” on the proposed law.

Last week, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña announced in his Facebook page that House Bill 6049, the legislation authored by Cebu City Representatives Raul del Mar (Cebu City, first district) and Rodrigo Abellanosa (Cebu City, second district), has been “approved in principle” at the House Committee on Transportation.

Read more: Bid to legalize habal-habal moving at House of Representatives

“Transportation is not my expertise, but I have an open mind to hear the sides of the pros and cons of (the) habal-habal,” Cayetano said.

Cayetano said she understood the need of the habal-habal as the main mode of transportation especially in the hinterlands.

“Sometimes these motorcycles become the hope na pwedeng umahon sa hirap or ma-improve ang lifestyle ng mga tao. More than just the symbolic effect na may motorsiklo ka, when they have a motorcycle, kaya na nila na magdala ng mga benebenta nila sa bayan,” Cayetano said.

Read more: Davide echoes Osmeña’s call to legalize habal-habal

“We have to carve out solutions for the transportation needs of the people. At the end of the day, it is our obligation to provide public services to the people,” she said.

Cayetano is in Cebu as she will be joining the formal inauguration of the human milk bank at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) tomorrow, January 31./dbs