Civil Society cites TWG Irregularities; Congress, Senate asked to step in

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Transport and mobility advocates the Lawyers for Commuter Safety and Protection (LCSP), KOMYUT, LEADER, Move Metro Manila, and Transport Watch (TW) issued a joint statement decrying this irregularity.

Despite regular follow-ups and requests for updates on urgent issues like the pilot run of a motorcycle taxi app, original members of the Technical Working Group (TWG) that the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) previously convened were not included in recent discussions of the TWG on the fate of the pilot run of motorcycle taxis.

This has prompted the excluded TWG members to file a petition for Congress and the Senate to look into the irregularities surrounding the procedure in deciding on the pilot run and to call for transparency and inclusivity in the decision-making process.

The TWG recently convened several meetings on key issues such as updates on the pilot run and possible extension, as well as the entry of new players without consulting original stakeholders outside of the DOTr. Only the DOTr, the LTFRB, the Land Transportation Office (LTO), and the InterAgency Council for Traffic (IACT) have convened to decide on the said issues.

(L-R) Jason Salvador, Managing Director of LEADER, Atty. Ariel Inton, LCSP representative, Ariel Lim, Adviser and Consultant and Daryll Mann Caisip, Staff of the Office of Senator Grace Poe and Atty. Victor Trinidad, Head Executive Assistant and FOI Decision Maker of the MMDA.

The lack of updates and proper consultation with stakeholders were the reasons the excluded TWG members filed a petition calling on Congress and the Senate, from which the original directives to conduct a technical working group assessment last year came, to look carefully into the matter and hasten the passage of a law legalizing and regulating motorcycle taxis.

The petition stated, “The TWG is supposed to monitor the safety of the riders and the riding public using data collected, by Angkas, within a six-month period. Despite repeated requests from the sector for the TWG to convene, a secret meeting was conducted, last November 2019, with solely government agencies in attendance, to make an assessment. Hence, the consumers, advocacy groups and other stakeholders, were excluded from decision-making. This prompted us to ask for updates from those who were present and pleaded that the complete TWG be convened in the future.”

In a press briefing Monday, transport and mobility advocates the Lawyers for Commuter Safety and Protection (LCSP), KOMYUT, LEADER, Move Metro Manila, and Transport Watch (TW) issued a joint statement decrying this irregularity.

Jason Salvador, Managing Director of the Legal Engagement Advocating for Development and Reform (LEADER), stated that lawmakers had enough time to act on the proposed motorcycle taxi legislation. “When we were doing the first TWG assessment, we were very strict about the parameters that needed to be met before any service can be done,” Salvador said.

“We even went to the sites of the proposed motorcycle taxi training area. Sumakay pa ako mismo sa motorcycle taxi para malaman ko mismo kung pwede ba talaga,” he added.

Also present in the press briefing was Atty. Victor Pablo Trinidad, Head Executive Assistant and FOI Decision Maker of the MMDA. He acknowledged the importance of the motorcycle taxi test run, saying that he wasn’t able to attend any TWG meeting as well because the invite for the meeting came just one day before the meeting date.

“The MMDA is one of the law enforcement agencies included in the TWG so it is in our best interest to find out what is happening in the test run,” Trinidad stressed. “We started out the TWG with strict parameters. We need parameters or else there would be problems with graft and corruption, which is a serious offense. Papasukin natin sila sa test run pero ayon sa parameters na ginamit namin nung umpisa at naaayon sa traffic. We must level the playing field,” he added.

Ariel Lim, adviser and consultant of the office of Senator Grace Poe and head of the transport advocacy group Usapang Transport Poe, stressed, “During the TWG, the office of Senator Poe questioned and clarified so many things about Angkas’ operations and recommended adjustments before we recommended the test run.”

“Nagtaka lang kami kung bakit ganito dahil ang talagang layon namin ay hindi maging maluwag sa pagbibigay ng approval ng motorcycle taxi,” Lim asked. “Parang negosyo na ata ang iniisip dito, hindi po ganon ang tingin ni Sen. Poe dahil buhay ang nakasalalay dito,” he added.

“No single agency can just decide on allowing others to join. Both congress and senate should approve,” Lim stressed.

In an earlier statement, Dr. Grace Jamon, convenor of Move Metro Manila, a group of policy advocates organizing policy discussions on mobility, stressed that their group's position is that they are urging Congress and Senate to deliberate the proposed bills legalizing motorcycle taxis. “In principle we agree with the need for the motorcycle taxi safety protocols to be extended to and applied to other motorcycle taxi service providers. Competition is good and should be a welcome development. We are just concerned with the process through which this decision was made without us having been called into a meeting at all,” said Dr. Jamon.

Toix Cerna, spokesperson of the commuters’ group KOMYUT, said in a previous interview, “Since August, we have been seeking for the TWG to be convened to discuss the initial data, and experience of Angkas, but to no avail.” Cerna added, “Our task was also to monitor and assess the results of the pilot so that we are informed of what to recommend for the legislative measures pending in Congress.”

Atty. Ariel Inton, Atty. Raymond Fortun, and Atty. VJ Topacio of the LCSP earlier filed a petition for injunction with application for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) and/or Writ of Preliminary Injunction against five motorcycle taxi companies, some of whom were included in the DOTr's list of new companies allowed to participate in the extension of the test run. The petition stated that their operations are unauthorized and may cause grave and substantial damage to the public.

Inton, a former LTFRB member, said that the LCSP’s main thrust is to promote commuter safety and uphold the rights of commuters, road users and pedestrians to a safe mode of transportation. As such, Inton stated, it has an absolute right to prevent respondents from organizing its fleet of motorcycles for hire and avert its operations which prejudice the riding public. Inton also revealed that they too have not been included in the recent meetings.

Topacio also stated in an earlier statement said, “It seems this exclusion from the recent decision-making process also involves many other critical members of the TWG and we are just wondering why this was the case.”

According to Topacio, because they were not included in the recent decision-making process they have not been able to hear from and coordinate with motorcycle taxi app Angkas. “We also need to coordinate with Angkas in order for us to find out their official data that was gathered during their six-month test run operations,” he stressed.

“We have requested an immediate restraining order to prevent grave and irreparable damage to the riding public in general, and to the pilot program in particular,” stressed Atty. Raymond Fortun of LCSP. “Moreover, any accident during this critical period will also sabotage the pilot program.”

Inton, Cerna, Jamon and the rest of the excluded TWG members are asking for greater transparency in the TWG’s procedures and asking Congress and Senate to intervene in this regard. “Transparency in the decision-making process of the TWG is very important so that the decisions do not look suspect,” noted Dr. Jamon. “It is very curious that at this crucial stage in the TWG, non-government members were completely sidelined,” he added.

Excluded TWG members urge Congress and Senate to intervene

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Amid the recent announcement of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to extend the test run for motorcycle taxis for another six months and include new motorcycle taxi companies supposedly as per the recommendation of the previously convened technical working group (TWG), original members of the TWG who were not included in the decision-making process for this sought the intervention of Congress and Senate to exclude the new players from participating in the extension.

Certain members of the TWG constituted in December of 2018 were taken by surprise with the recent news from the DOTr stating that the TWG already decided to extend the motorcycle taxi test run and include six new motorcycle taxi players.

The excluded TWG member has also called on Congress and the Senate, from which the original directives to conduct a technical working group assessment last year came, to look carefully into the matter.

In a press briefing, Toix Cerna, spokesperson of the commuters’ group Komyut, revealed, “Since August, we have been seeking for the TWG to be convened to discuss the initial data, and experience of Angkas, but to no avail.” Cerna added, “Our task was also to monitor and assess the results of the pilot so that we are informed of what to recommend for the legislative measures pending in Congress.”

Raymond Gascon of Move Metro Manila said in a separate statement, “In principle we agree with the need for the motorcycle taxi safety protocols to be extended to and applied to other motorcycle taxi service providers. Competition is good and should be a welcome development. We are just concerned with the process through which this decision was made without us having been call into a meeting at all.”

Move Metro Manila is a group of policy advocates organizing policy discussions on mobility.

In turn, Atty. Ariel Inton of the Lawyers for Commuter Safety and Protection (LCSP), also a member of the TWG, revealed, “Since the start of the pilot run, I have never been invited to meetings and discussions and now I heard that they have decided on something critical, which is not only irregular but rather suspicious and unacceptable.”

Inton added, “And it seems this exclusion from the recent decision-making process also involves many other critical members of the TWG and we are just wondering why this was the case.”

The LCSP earlier filed a petition for injunction with application for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) and/or Writ of Preliminary Injunction against five motorcycle taxi companies: We Move Things Philippines Inc. (Joyride), Habal Rides Corp., I-Sabay, Sampa-Dala Corp., and Trans-Serve Corp. The petition stated that their operations are unauthorized and may cause grave and substantial damage to the public.

“Our objective in the LCSP is to ensure the safety and protection of the riding public,” Inton, a former Land Transportation Franchise and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) member, said. “And we are worried that the new motorcycle players who will join the test run may just endanger the lives of commuters because they do not have the same stringent safety standards as what the riding public has been accustomed to in the initial test run,” he added.

“We in the LCSP call on the DOTr to ensure that the welfare of the riding public is given priority by ensuring that the new players the agency is considering to include in the announced test run extension undergo a thorough review and assessment much like what the TWG did back then for Angkas,” Inton stressed.

“We have requested an immediate restraining order to prevent grave and irreparable damage to the riding public in general, and to the pilot program in particular,” stressed Atty. Raymond Fortun of LCSP declared. “Moreover, any accident during this critical period will also sabotage the pilot program,” he added. 

Early this year, the House of Representatives passed Resolution No. 2449 urging the DoTr to implement a pilot program allowing, monitoring, and regulating the operation of duly registered and organized motorcycles-for-hire as an alternative public transport utility.

The DoTr then instructed various agencies to form a Technical Working Group (TWG) composed of stakeholders and experts from the government and the private sector to discuss issues attendant to the prospect of two-wheel vehicles operating as public transport. 

The TWG was tasked to identify motorcycle types eligible to be licensed, taking into consideration factors like engine displacement, carrying capacity, operating speeds, routes, seat and helmet requirements, and training requirements for drivers, who will eventually need to obtain a public utility vehicle (PUV) registration.

Upon the recommendation of the TWG, the DoTr allowed the six-month pilot test for motorcycle taxi operations in the Philippines starting in July of this year. Since only the motorcycle ride-hailing app Angkas had been established and operating with an eight-month track record at the time, Angkas became the sole subject of the pilot program which will end in December.

"Three months to the pilot could have been a good time for the House and Senate to hear the proposed bills already, using initial results," noted Jason Salvador, Managing Director of LEADER (Legal Engagement Advocating for Development and Reform). "The pilot was just for a period of six months. After that, what will happen to the commuters?" he added.

Inton, Cerna, Gascon, and the rest of the excluded TWG members are asking for greater transparency in the TWG’s procedures and asking Congress and Senate to intervene in this regard. “Transparency in the decision-making process of the TWG is very important so that the decisions do not look suspect,” noted Gascon “It is very curious that at this crucial stage in the TWG, non-government members were completely sidelined,” he added.

Inton also asked why the DOTr is planning to extend the test run. "Why are they extending it? If they are convinced that the test run was successful, why not just direct the Congress to come up with a law to regulate this service?" Inton asked.

Community Safety advocates group seeks TRO against unregistered motorcycle taxis

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The Community Safety and Protection (LCSP) led by Atty. Ariel Inton, Atty. Raymond Fortun and Vicente Jayme Topacio filed a petition for an injunction initially against five (5) identified app-based Motorcycle Taxi groups operating in Mega Manila outside the prescribed pilot program on the grounds of safety and fair play.

During the press briefing held Monday, Atty. Ariel Inton, speaking in behalf of LCSP, said that the commuter safety advocates have filed a petition for injunction with application for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) and/or Writ of Preliminary Injunction against five motorcycle taxi companies: We Move Things Philippines Inc. (Joyride), Habal Rides Corp., I-Sabay, Sampa-Dala Corp., and Trans-Serve Corp. The petition stated that their operations are unauthorized and may cause grave and substantial damage to the public.

“The commuting public should not be used as guinea pigs by fly-by-night motorcycle taxi operators with zero track record,” said Atty. Ariel Inton of the Lawyers for Commuter Safety and Protection (LCSP) which filed a petition to restrain various groups from operating motorcycle taxis.

Inton, a former Land Transportation Franchise and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) member, said that the LCSP’s main thrust is to promote commuter safety and uphold the rights of commuters, road users and pedestrians to a safe mode of transportation. As such, Inton stated, it has an absolute right to prevent respondents from organizing its fleet of motorcycles for hire and avert its operations which prejudice the riding public.

“The respondents are currently sabotaging the government’s pilot program for motorcycle taxis by unilaterally according to themselves the privilege to operate motorcycles for hire in the guise of addressing the traffic situation in Metro Manila, Metro Cebu and other urban cities,” Inton stressed.

“At the outset, it should be pointed out that respondents commenced the roll-out of their motorcycle taxi business without any franchise from Congress or permit nor authority from the Department of Transportation (DOTr),” he added.

According to the petition letter that the LCSP submitted to the Regional Trial Court of Quezon City Tuesday, December 3, “Combined, thousands of motorcycles illegally booking and transporting passengers ply the roads, unduly exposing petitioners’ members to road hazards and increased risk of accidents.”

Inton stressed that motorcycle taxi operations are being conducted outside of the pilot program of the DoTr, defeating entirely the essence of the ongoing pilot testing and exposing the riding public to grave risks. 

"Di puwedeng ikumpara ang motorcycle taxi sa milk tea na nang mauso ay ang dami ng nagsulputan kahit na mababa ang kalidad. Pero higit na mapanganib kung motorcycle taxi ang pinag-uusapan dahil buhay ng pasahero, buhay ng tao ang malalalagay sa peligro kung papayagan ang mga walang experience at walang track record na motorcycle taxi na makapasada," ani Inton.

“We have requested an immediate restraining order to prevent grave and irreparable damage to the riding public in general, and to the pilot program in particular,” stressed Atty. Raymond Fortun of LCSP declared. “Moreover, any accident during this critical period will also sabotage the pilot program,” he added. 

Early this year, the House of Representatives passed Resolution No. 2449 urging the DoTr to implement a pilot program allowing, monitoring, and regulating the operation of duly registered and organized motorcycles-for-hire as an alternative public transport utility.

The DoTr then instructed various agencies to form a Technical Working Group (TWG) composed of stakeholders and experts from the government and the private sector to discuss issues attendant to the prospect of two-wheel vehicles operating as public transport. 

Atty. Inton is also a member of this TWG and participated in the assessment sessions held prior to the recommendation of the pilot run. 

The TWG was tasked to identify motorcycle types eligible to be licensed, taking into consideration factors like engine displacement, carrying capacity, operating speeds, routes, seat and helmet requirements, and training requirements for drivers, who will eventually need to obtain a public utility vehicle (PUV) registration.

Upon the recommendation of the TWG, the DoTr allowed the six-month pilot test for motorcycle taxi operations in the Philippines starting in July of this year. Since only the motorcycle ride-hailing app Angkas had been established and operating with an eight-month track record at the time, Angkas became the sole subject of the pilot program which will end in December.

The five motorcycle taxi companies who are identified as the respondents in the LCSP petition are neither accredited by the TWG nor part of the pilot program.

“It bears stressing that the pilot program was undertaken precisely in view of the absence of any legal framework currently regulating motorcycle ride-hailing apps,” Fortun declared.

“Its objective is to ‘road test’ the operation of a motorcycle ride-hailing app to enable the government agencies to ascertain the safety and viability of its operations and, more importantly, to allow the agencies to craft the appropriate regulatory framework based on the data that would be gathered during this period of experimentation,” Fortun added.

In turn, Inton stressed that the pilot period, by its very nature, cannot be considered free for all who might want to engage in the same business precisely because of the absence of any law policy regulating the activity. “It will be far too precarious to expose the riding public to the risks of allowing zero-track record entities to operate a motorcycle ride hailing app without the proper regulatory framework yet in place,” he noted.

The five motorcycle taxi companies identified as respondents in the petition were reported to have surfaced and have begun the onboarding of motorcycle bikers and commenced accepting bookings for the transport of passengers.

To date, Joyride has already onboarded 3,000 bikers and have constructed their own office where recruitment is currently done. “These bikers are also at risk of performing an illegal activity considering that Joyride, currently does not possess the necessary permit or authority from the DoTr,” the petition states.

In turn, I-Sabay 24/7 and Sampa both make use of an application for drivers and passengers and have started operations already. Transi-Serve Corp. has reportedly began onboarding efforts as well.

“All of these acts are being done by respondents without having been made part of the Pilot Program for motorcycle taxis,” Inton stressed. “Their reckless and brazen conduct of pre-empting the government agencies in hopes that they too might eventually be included in the pilot program despite lack of track record and qualifications only prove how the government and the public cannot trust these entities,” he added.

“Untested motorcycle taxi operators, such as respondents, expose commuters to the hazards posed by an unsafe mode of transportation,” Inton declared. “The unwarranted and unauthorized establishment and operation of motorcycle taxi fleet constitutes willful and blatant disregard of the rights of the commuting public in relation to safe modes of public transportation.”

Inton also raised the issue of the TWG continuing to meet without the presence of critical members, which is highly irregular. 

“It has also come to my attention that the TWG, in which I am also a member, has been deciding on certain matters without some of its members,” Inton revealed. “Since the start of the pilot run, I have never been invited to meetings and discussions and now I heard that they have been convening, which is not only irregular but rather suspicious and unacceptable,” he added. 

The Final Pitch Season 5: Real Estate and Livable Cities

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The Final Pitch has launched its fifth season with the theme "Real Estate and Livable Cities"

The Final Pitch Season 5 will feature landowners and entrepreneurs who will pitch their properties and businesses to a panel of investor-judges who are looking to own a piece of their properties or companies.

The country's first and only business reality television show, The Final Pitch fifth season will start filming this November and will begin airing early 2020. 

"For the first time ever, we will be producing a season with a theme - The Final Pitch Season 5: Real Estate and Livable Citles Edition will be the first season focused on real estate projects, urban solutions, and property technologies that contribute to the livability and sustainability of our cities," said John Aguilar, serial entrepreneur creator and host of the show. Aguilar is also the CEO of Dragon's Nest, a startup venture builder that will be building the ASEAN region's next exponential startups.

Previous seasons of the show focused on various technology startups and SMES pitching their businesses to investor judges for funding. This time, real estate-related deals and solutions for the property sector will be at the forefront.

Pitching for Real Estate

"With the jitters created by the possible volatility of the demand from the POGO sector impacting the entire industry, there is now an even more urgent need to prepare for an eventual down-cycle of the property sector, and future-proof the business interests of developers and construction industry stakeholders," Aguilar noted.

"This can be done by either consolidating landholdings for the future, or even totally shifting business models to prepare for the seismic shifts that technological disruption will bring to the real estate sector," he added.

A property owner or owner's representative or broker can pitch a property to the show's investors.

"Whether for sale or joint venture, we are looking for properties across the Philippines ranging from raw land, buildings, islands, even prime properties in the Metro," Aguilar stressed.

"Our foremost criteria for accepting these properties for consideration will be that the title is clean. We will not engage in a broker or broker's representative who does not have exclusive rights to market or sell the properties they are proposing. Properties or projects with an existing prospectus or highest and best land use study are preferred, but not required. If the property is for sale, the selling price must be at least 20% below market value."

The properties must be free from any liens and encumbrances and must be fully owned by the party pitching the property. These properties will be pitched to the investors with the intertion of selling the properties to them, or engaging in a possible joint venture project together. The terms of the deal may be flexible, but if the project is not interesting, the project might not even make it past the consideration stage.

"Ultimately, we are looking for great deals for the investors for properties that can be land banked, renovated, or developed for the future," Aguilar shared.

Developing Livable Cities

Aside from real estate deals, the season will also feature startups who will pitch businesses that make for livable cities-green and sustainable building materials and technologies, clean energy, all the way to smart home and proptech (property technology) startups.

Entrepreneurs who pitch their enterprise, service or invention must have at least a minimum viable product or prototype. Businesses that provide solutions that improve people's quality of living, particularly those that address safety, hygiene, healthcare, the environment, recreation, pubilic transport and access to goods and services will also be considered.

Investor judges and mentors

The show's panel of investor Judges is a mix of property developers, businessmen, and corporate leaders keen on exploring new enterprises that can complement their businesses, integrate effectively into their value chain, allow them to diversify their portfollo, or enable them to create meaningful impact through strategic initiatives and intervention.

The fifth season's judges are real estate movers:

-- Victor Consunji, CEO of Victor Consunji Development Corporation, an innovative developer of homes and modern neighborhoods

-- Cary Lagdameo, First Vice President of Davao-based Damosa Land Inc., the real estate arm of the Anflo group of companies;

-- Cesar Wee Jr, President of Wee Community Developers Inc, one of the fastest growing premium residential developers in the country;

-- Jet Yu, founder and CEO of Prime Philippines, one of the youngest and most aggressive real estate consultancy firms in the country.

-- George Royeca, Chief Transport Advocate of Angkas - 

In the mix to look for livable cities solutions and technologies

In turn, the show's mentors, who will guide the finalists in the different aspects of their business proposals with Amor Maclang, Public Engagement head of the Urban Land Institute and co-founder of GeiserMaclang Marketing Communications Inc., and Hardy Lipana, President and CEO of Conveyance Realty Services Inc.

Interested property owners and entrepreneurs who want to pitch their property, solution or startup may log on to thefinalpitch.ph/application. Deadline for submission is by November 11, 2019.

The Final Pitch airs Sundays at 8 pm, with replays every Monday at 9:30 pm and Saturdays 1 pm on CNN Philippines. The show is produced by Streetpark Productions, Inc. To view past seasons and to find out how you can get involved in future seasons, log on to TheFinalPitch.ph

Amazing travel deals await with Traveloka’s Su-Paw Sale

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There’s no reason to miss out on the opportunity to get on a plane and travel the world with Traveloka’s biggest promo yet, the Su-Paw Sale! On October 25, Traveloka users can enjoy up to 50% discounts on flights, accommodations, and activities and attractions too.

Southeast Asia’s leading online travel platform introduces the Su-Paw Sale in line with its ongoing Petfluencer campaign, which highlights that ease of making all types of travel arrangements via Traveloka; so easy that even your favorite furry friend can do it.

On Friday, October 25, from 10:00 am onwards, Traveloka app users can browse through all destinations and travel periods and enjoy discounted flight bookings with as much as 50% off, up to a maximum of P10,000.

Meanwhile, discounts for hotels and accommodation will also be up for grabs! Users can get up to 40% off, or up to P1,500, for a minimum spend of P3,000 from 6 - 8 pm only. And then specifically for in-app use for hotels, people can enjoy up to P1,250 off their hotels bookings of three nights. Those who are looking to book for 2 nights can also avail of up to 25% off.

Complete the package by taking advantage of cut-rate offerings of Traveloka’s Xperience. First time users can avail 25% off activities and attractions with a minimum spend of P2,000, while existing users can get 20% for a minimum spend of P1,500.

These awesome discounts are available for a limited time only, so get on Traveloka and be among the lucky users to avail of these one-time promos. With Traveloka, you can fly, stay and play the easy way—with just one app to tap.

It’s not just any sale, it’s Traveloka’s Su-Paw Sale! To learn more about these amazing travel deals, download the Traveloka app from the Google Play store on Android or from the App Store on iOS today.

Traveloka, which is available online or as a downloadable app on the Google Playstore and the Apple App Store, provides a wide range of travel needs in one platform—from flights, hotels, and trains; to flight+hotel packages; attractions & activities; and more—enabling customers to create moments together with their friends or loved ones.

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. 

Pilipinas Shell’s “BiyaHero” brings together private and public for safer roads

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Pilipinas Shell’s “BiyaHero” campaign has partnered with the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP), the Automotive Association of the Philippines (AAP), and the Philippine Global Road Safety Partnership (PGRSP) to advocate for more cooperation between the private and public sectors in making the nation’s roads safer for Filipinos.

BiyaHero, a campaign that promotes road safety as a shared responsibility between everyone on the road, participated in the ECCP’s Safer Mobility and Logistics Conference and Exhibition, held from September 24 to 25 in the Tent at Solaire, to highlight Shell’s initiatives in engaging both NGOs and local governments for road safety improvements. 

Short for “Be a Hero on the Road,” Biyahero is currently working with the AAP-PGRSP to introduce safer driving practices in Lipa, Batangas. Shell and the AAP-PGRSP have been partnered since 2008. 

Mandaluyong also serves as the campaign’s pilot city for all of Shell’s road safety efforts. The company plans to involve other cities in the multisectoral efforts to realize better nationwide road safety. 

“We at Shell believe the first step to achieving road safety is to be aware of responsible driving practices,” said Oliver Ortega, Shell Companies in the Philippines’ General Manager for Health, Safety, Security and Environment. “Road safety starts with all of us, and being aware, alert, and prepared can help save lives.”

The ECCP hopes that the conference sparks discussion among safety and logistics stakeholders about how they could contribute to mainstreaming safety by exchanging ideas, initiatives, technology, and best practices. 

Despite comprehensive laws like R.A. 4136, or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code, road accidents continue to be a significant problem. The Metro Manila Accident Reporting and Analysis (MMARAS) 2018 annual report recorded 116,906 total accidents, an increase of approximately 6000 incidents compared to the prior year.

"Some, if not most, of our kababayans have this mentality that 'if I can get away with it, I'll do it.' They violate traffic laws because they don’t see enforcers around," said Cynthia Reyes from AAP-PGRSP. BiyaHero is taking a more holistic approach to solving the problem by promoting a new kind of safety culture in the Philippines. Through this event, BiyaHero will bring all relevant communities together to envision safer roads throughout the country.

As part of the BiyaHero campaign, Shell has prepared several measures that involve numerous different organizations to help promote road safety.

Shell service centers at the retail gas stations have year-long special offers, such as a free 14-point safety check by expert mechanics to motorists who want to make sure that their vehicles are roadworthy. Free engine insurance and roadside assistance are also available for those who opt for the Shell Helix Ultra oil change package.

The initiatives in Lipa and Mandaluyong both include a Road Safety for Children program that hopes to instill the youth with the knowledge of how to be responsible on the road.

Partnerships between Shell and PNP, PNP-HPG, and LTO to disseminate informative materials such as copies of RA 4136 also help ensure the safety and security of drivers during their journeys.

In addition to training its own truck drivers on how to be safe and responsible on the road, Shell has also partnered with A1 Driving School to teach customers defensive driving.

BiyaHero features various safe driving tips that every driver can use daily to stay responsible, such as the different ways to properly maintain a vehicle as well as what a driver can do to minimize discomfort when in transit.

“Shell believes that through ‘BiyaHero,’ everyone can come together to share the responsibility of making every road in the Philippines safer,” said Ortega.

AirAsia senior leadership changes to drive growth and profitability in the Philippines

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AirAsia senior leadership changes to drive growth and profitability in the Philippines

AirAsia has appointed telecommunications executive Ricardo ‘Ricky’ P Isla as its new CEO of AirAsia Philippines.

Newly appointed AirAsia Philippines CEO Ricky Isla (third from left) is welcomed by AirAsia Philippines Board and Corporate Secretary Atty. Jomar Castillo (first from left), newly appointed AirAsia Philippines Chief Operating Officer Captain Dexter Comendador (second from left) and AirAsia Philippines Chairman Maan Hontiveros (fourth from left).

Mr Isla joins AirAsia after more than a decade of international product development, sales and distribution experience with telecommunications giant PLDT Global Corporation. In addition to his most recent role as Regional Head of Operations for United Kingdom and Europe, Mr Isla has held General Manager positions in its international retail business, as well as in the US, Italy and Singapore.

AirAsia Philippines Chairman Maan Hontiveros said, “I am thrilled to welcome Ricky to our senior leadership team. Ricky has an outstanding track record of leading and transforming businesses, especially when it comes to increasing revenue and market share, customer satisfaction and employee engagement. Together with his telecommunications background and global experience, we are confident he will provide the right foundation to steer AirAsia Philippines to even greater heights.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Captain Dexter Comendador for playing such a crucial part of AirAsia’s growth story in the Philippines. The board and I are confident that his love of people and exceptional flying acumen will prove extremely beneficial to our operations, and we look forward to continuing our work with him as AirAsia Philippines Chief Operations Officer.”

Newly appointed AirAsia Philippines CEO Ricardo ‘Ricky’ Isla

AirAsia Deputy Group CEO (Airlines) Bo Lingam said, “Ricky’s appointment as CEO comes at a time when low-cost carrier (LCC) growth in the Philippines hits an all-time high. AirAsia is on the cusp of developing something really special for Filipinos, and I’m confident that under Ricky’s guidance we will be in the best position to up the ante on our mission to further revolutionise affordable air travel in the Philippines.

“I want to thank Captain Dexter for his contribution as CEO, and ongoing dedication to our Allstars in the Philippines.”

Mr Isla graduated from the Ateneo de Manila University with a Bachelor of Science and Business Management and holds advanced management qualifications from the Asian Institute of Management.

Mr Isla commenced his role as CEO of AirAsia Philippines today.

AirAsia Philippines operates a fleet of 24 aircraft on more than 500 weekly domestic and international flights from its hubs in Manila, Clark, Cebu, and Kalibo.

For the latest AirAsia news, activities and promotions, follow AirAsia on Twitter (twitter.com/AirAsia), Facebook (facebook.com/AirAsiaPH) and Instagram (instagram.com/AirAsiaFilipino).