Legalization, control of motorcycles-for-hire sought

THE Cebu Provincial Board wants Congress to make “habal-habal” or motorcycle-for-hire legal so that these can be regulated.

The PB adopted a resolution asking Sen. Sergio Osmeña III, acting chairperson of the Senate committee on public services, to consider “habal-habal” as a usual mode of transportation in the country.

At present, habal-habals are illegal.

PB Member Arleigh Jay Sitoy, proponent, said the resolution asks Osmeña to find ways to regulate habal-habals, which is a common mode of transportation in remote areas, particularly in the uplands.

The resolution was approved on mass motion during the PB’s regular session yesterday.

National law

The resolution cited chapter 2 Article 1 Section 7 of Republic Act 4136, also known as the Land Transportation and Traffic Code of the Philippines, which prohibits motorcycles to be used “for hire under any circumstance and shall not be used to solicit, accept, or be used to transport passengers or freight for pay.”

“Such mode of transportation is preferred by most people given that it is the most convenient and easiest way to get them to places faster, especially in places that do not have regular routes,” Sitoy said.

He told reporters that he will file an amendment exempting the habal-habal from the proposed ordinance prohibiting riding in-tandem on a motorcycle.

“They (habal-habal drivers) are helping the commuters. They are not a problem. It is just that we want to regulate their existence,” Sitoy said.

The PB will hold a public hearing on the proposed measure next week. It seeks to ban any person who is not the spouse, child or relative up to the fourth degree of consanguinity to ride a motorcycle.

The proposed measure is titled, “Motorcycle Riding-in-Tandem Ordinance of Cebu.” It seeks to stop crime suspects from using motorcycles as getaway vehicles.

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