ANGKAS: "To solve traffic, gov't and private sector need to work together"

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The biggest problem these days is the traffic congestion and becoming more serious day after day. It is said that the high volume of vehicles, the inadequate infrastructure and the irrational distribution of the development are main reasons for increasing traffic jam.

The traffic problem in the Philippines has become so huge that one agency cannot hope to solve it alone. The solution can only come from the collective effort of several groups—from both the government and the private sector—who work together to come up with a workable, feasible traffic plan.

Recently, the first-ever conference that provides a platform for public and private stakeholders - the Roads and Traffic Expo, was held at the SMX Convention Center in Manila, (October 1 and 2 ) and provided a platform for government agencies and private partners to discuss the solutions.

Angkas, the first app-based motorcycle ride-hailing service in the country, participated in the expo to discuss sustainable solutions that address the malignant traffic congestion problem in the Philippines. 

Inclusive mobility champion and Angkas Chief Transport Advocate George Royeca had a talk during the recent Roads and Traffic Expo and called for the collective effort from both the government and the private sector, and to work together to come up with a workable, feasible traffic plan to solve the traffic problem in the Philippines.

Royeca also joined a discussion panel in the expo with Ariel Lim, Former Presidential Assistant on Public Transport Affairs; Winnie Castelo, Councilor 2nd District of Quezon City, Former Congressman and Chairman of Congressional Committee on Metro Manila Development; Atty. Ariel Inton, Head of Quezon City Task Force for Transport and Traffic Management, Former Director of LTFRB, and moderator Amor Maclang, director of Transport Watch. 

The panel discussed best practices on public-private partnershipsin addressing the lack of mobility in the country’s cities as well as affordable, inclusive, and efficient transport options. 

During the discussion, Royeca emphasized the importance of collaboration between the public and private sector in providing better transport options.

“We at Angkas are dedicated to providing a safe, reliable, and affordable transport option for everyone, and we will do whatever it takes to continue doing so,” Royeca declared. 

“Angkas is not the be-all, end-all solution to traffic—no single agency or company can do that. But because of our current partnership with DoTr, we’ve shown that we can at least ease the traffic by providing an inclusive transport option,” he added. 

Angkas, which is currently on a government-sanctioned pilot run, has become a case study for the successful partnership between a private enterprise and government agencies. In June 2019, Angkas was granted by the Department of Transportation a six-month trial run that legally allowed the service to operate in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu. 

All 27,000 biker-partners were swiftly trained on new safety protocol to comply with the mandated requirements of the DoTrTechnical Working Group (TWG). Thus far, Angkas has maintained its 99.997% safety record despite initial speculation from government bodies on its safety. 

“This is why we will continue to work with all stakeholders involved—because we believe the problem can only be resolved if public and private stakeholders work together to come up with a comprehensive solution,” Royeca stressed.

“Financial losses incurred from delays caused by traffic affect both individuals and institutions. Before people even get to work, they are already exhausted from their commute,” Royeca shared. 

“Filipinos deserve better. Our hard work and perseverance, despite all odds, are admirable, but we need to address the problem and give Filipinos a better quality of life,” he added. 

In a study done by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the agency projects that the Philippines will lose P5.4 billion every day by 2035 if the traffic congestion problem is not properly addressed. 

The two-day Roads and Traffic Expo saw discussions on holistic solutions from public and private partners that addressed not only traffic management but the entire ecosystem that led to the mismanaged state of the transport sector today. 

Angeline Tham, the CEO and Founder of Angkas, joined the second day of the trade show to talk about the role of safe and inclusive mobility options in building more sustainable cities. 

Thousands of motorcycle riders nationwide join Unity Ride vs Double Plate Law

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120,000 motorcycle riders nationwide came together Sunday to hold what is currently the biggest Unity Ride ever, this time to show their outrage against the recently signed double plate law which the riders tagged as anti-poor. 

"We are not criminals,' say motorcycle riders at the 'Unity Ride' against the Republic Act 11235 or the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act of 2017, authored by Sen. Richard Gordon and Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III, which was signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte last week.

RA11235 aims to address the rising number of crimes perpetrated by motorcycle-riding gunmen, particularly these riding in tandem by making their two-wheeled vehicles more easily identifiable.

The law thus mandates the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to issue bigger reflectorized license plates which must be placed in both front and rear parts of the motorcycle. The plate numbers should be big enough to be readable even from 12 to 15 meters away.

The motorcycle riders cited safety issues as their main concern over RA11235. The front-mounted plate may become detached due to several factors including vibration, wind, or just simply the failure of the material to hold the plate. This poses a big risk to both the motorcycle rider and the pillion, as well as to pedestrians and other road users.

The riders also claimed that there were no proper consultations from experts and motorcycle riders to determine whether installing bigger plates on both front and back is feasible or safe, and if it is even applicable to all types of motorcycles.

“Old and new motorcycles don't have the provisions for a front-mounted plate. Adding a bracket outside of factory specifications will surely pose a big risk for the riders, their passenger, and even the pedestrians,” stressed Jobert Bolaños of the Motorcycle Rights Organization (MRO). "And not all motorcycles have the same front design that can accommodate stickers or decals which takes away uniformity. And without uniformity, there is subjectivity," Bolaños added.

"Motorcycle riders have been hampered by several ordinances and laws that sometimes we think that we are being outcast in our own society," Rod Cruz, chairman of the Arangkada Riders Alliance, stated. "RA11235 is by far the worst law of all so you cannot blame us for doing this nationwide call for fairness and equality. Please do not treat us like criminals."

The motorcycle riders all claimed that motorcycle-riding criminals would still be able to commit crimes by simply taking off the license plates, as the criminals have always been doing, or simply using fake license plates to mislead authorities.

The authors of the law were earlier quoted as saying that by increasing the size and visibility of the motorcycle plates to be able to read the plate numbers from a distance, witnesses and law enforcement agencies are aided in the identification of motorcycle riders who are involved in accidents or criminal activities.

"Safety is of paramount importance to Angkas. That is why we do not agree with the provision requiring the installing of big metal plates at the front of motorcycles,” noted Angkas Head of Regulatory and Public Affairs George Royeca, whose Angkas rider-partners came in the thousands to join the Unity Ride.

"I hope they can find a safer alternative that will not compromise the safety of the riders and the passengers," he added. 

“This piece of legislation is discriminatory, considering that most motorcycle riders belong to the masses and they are not only tagged as criminals, they are made to suffer the consequences for things they didn’t do,” Bolaños stressed. “This law is both oppressive and anti-poor.”

Thousands of Angkas riders and bikers join Unity Ride to decry gov't descrimimation

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Thousand of Angkas riders, joined a massive Unity Ride this Sunday as they decry the LTFRB's continued drive to shut down their operations permanently. 

To air their grievances on the double plate issue and motortaxi oppression, 8 thousand riders, almost half of them are from Angkas and 2,000 bikers from different motorcycle clubs in Metro Manila and nearby provinces drove to  and from Kalayaan Shrine on EDSA, heading northward towards Centris near Quezon Avenue, then making a U-turn to head back to the Kalayaan Shrine. 

The Angkas riders have been airing their frustration over not being able to serve the commuters and earn a living, in the light of a recent Supreme Court Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) junking a previous RTC injunction that prevented the LTFRB from apprehending Angkas riders. 

Many Metro Manila commuters said in the social media that  Angkas service has been a valuable help with their transportation woes.

Motorcycle ride-hailing firm Angkas complies and follow the SC TRO 

"Angkas  will and continue to comply with the Supreme Court TRO, " ANGKAS said during the press conference held on Sunday, December 16, 2018, with Romeo Maglungsod, Chairman of Solid Manila Riders Club, Robert Balano, Manila Riders Officer,  George Royeca, Angkas Head of Regulatory and Public Affairs,  David Medrana, Angkas Operations Head, Rod Cruz,  Arangkada,  Ryan Rilera, Taguig Spartan.  

Angkas official, clarified that they are not in defiance of the SC TRO, despite their frustration over its issuance. 

"We are will and continue to comply with the Supreme Court TRO" Angkas Head of Regulatory and Public Affairs George Royeca clarified. 

"As such, we will not prevent the LTFRB from apprehending our bikers and have instructed them to comply with the authorities should they be apprehended and always be courteous and respectful of the officers." 

Royeca also revealed that Angkas officials have been reaching out to DOTR and LTFRB for an open dialogue with them to find solutions for the Filipino riding public. 

"Using various media channels, the LTFRB has made clear its intent to crack down on Angkas bikers, citing a very narrow interpretation of the law. Yet we have on various occasions presented the LTFRB with different options to move forward together," Royeca noted. "We have always believed that regulation, not prohibition, is key," he added. 

Because of the apprehensions initiated by the LTFRB, many of the Angkas bikers are scared of going out and taking rides from commuters. "This has put around 25,000 0f our rider-partners out of a decent livelihood, and during the holiday season, too, when their families need their income the most," David Medrana, Angkas Operations Head, stressed. 

"It is also unfortunate that the Supreme Court issued the TRO at a time when hundreds of thousands of commuters need the Angkas service to beat the worsening holiday traffic," Medrana rued. 

Angkas rider-partner Romeo Maglungsod, Chairman of Solid Manila Riders Club, denounced the harassment of the LTFRB and decried his sudden loss of livelihood. "Napakasakit po ng nangyari sa amin. Sa isang iglap, bigla na lang kaming nawalan ng hanapbuhay," Maglungsod said. 

"Hindi man lang kami nabigyan ng abiso. Biglang-bigla. Kung kelan magpa-Pasko, saka pa kami natanggalan ng disenteng kabuhayan. Ang saklap naman ng aginaldo ng LTFRB," Maglungsod added. 

"The LTFRB has been claiming that they are doing this because of safety reasons," Medrana also noted. "But, we are proud to say that Angkas has a safety record of 99.997%—considering all our rider-partners and all their trips. This is much higher than the safety record of all non-Angkas motorcycle riders in the country and proves how serious we are in our commitment to the safety of our riders and their passengers," he revealed.

GrabCar First and Only Transport Network Company legalized by LTFRB

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The first and only Transport Network Company legalized by the Philippine government, GrabCar, the private hire vehicle booking service available through the GrabTaxi app.

GrabCar is the first and only service of its kind in the Philippines to be fully accredited as a Transportation Network Company (TNC) by the Land Transportation Franchising & Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

Natasha Bautista, Head of GrabCar Philippines, said this GrabCar accreditation validates the company’s efforts in providing the safest and most convenient rides for passengers in the Philippines.

“With full accreditation, more Filipino commuters will be able to use GrabCar and be confident that we offer a legitimate and safe private hire service. We will now focus on rapidly expanding our GrabCar service to serve more passengers across the Philippines,” said Bautista.

“Our GrabCar accreditation by LTFRB is a historical occasion. We commend the Philippine government for collaborating with our team to revolutionize transport in the Philippines through the development of game-changing regulations that champion innovation and public safety for society,” she added.

First and only legal service

When GrabCar first entered the market, the service operated on par with the current industry standards. In May 2015, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) announced that it would create a new classification to accommodate mobile app-based booking services. On July 3rd, GrabCar became the first company to complete all the requirements and receive full accreditation as a TNC.

The requirements for TNC accreditation include: business permit, certificate of registration duly issued by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), business model proposal with proposed fare rates and service charges, and complaint mechanism against vehicle owners and drivers.

Safety remains top priority

“The stringent safety and training process we’ve implemented since day one has ensured that GrabCar complies with the new TNC regulations seamlessly and can be the first to be fully accredited by LTFRB. We are committed to screening and training our GrabPeer drivers for GrabCar in full compliance with the TNVS accreditation requirements set by LTFRB. In fact, we’re working with our Regional Head of Safety and the LTFRB to consistently ensure that our screening and safety measures are of the highest standard possible,” said Bautista.

“GrabCar has been very collaborative. Since day one of operations, they have been working closely with us to ensure that the policy on TNCs prioritizes passenger safety. We are happy to announce that GrabCar has already been accredited upon meeting all government requirements, and we are positive that this will revolutionize the Philippine transportation industry,” said Roberto Cabrera, LTFRB Executive Director.

GrabCar aims to complement the current transportation options in the country and provide passengers with another safe and affordable ride option. GrabCar believes that with full accreditation by the Philippine government, TNCs will be able to provide a fast, safe and convenient transport option for passengers.

Celebrate GrabCar’s Accreditation

To celebrate its full accreditation by the Philippine government, GrabCar is giving away an unlimited P100 discount on all GrabCar and GrabCar+ rides! 

Just use the promo code LEGALLYGRAB on every booking from July 7 to July 21, 2015.

Happy Anniversary GrabCar ! 

Pink Jeepneys Unveiled On Valentines Day, for women, seniors, PWDs

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Pretty in pink!

(Photo @mistersteroy) 

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Saturday (February 14) unveiled "pink jeepneys" that will provide transport for women, children, senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the Guadalupe-Pateros area.

Fourteen jeepneys units were painted in pink, while the drivers have pink uniforms. The pink jeepneys, initiated by the Guadalupe-Pateros Jeepney and Operators' Association, will provide public transport service for women, children, senior citizens and PWDs during rush hours -- from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

According to the LTFRB, this is apparently to give priority to the sector that needs more “care and respect”.

“This Guacempajoda project will be a big help in providing convenient transportation to women, young people, and persons with disabilities, especially during rush hours, going to and coming from their workplaces and schools,” LTFRB Chairman Winston Ginez said.

“Pink Jeepney is a noble program that we hope will serve as a model for other PUJ operators to replicate in their respective routes to better serve those sector that are having difficulty commuting,” Ginez said.