The fight to get motorcycle taxis acknowledged and approved by the government as a viable and safe method of transportation has been long and bloody, so to speak and it’s not yet over. It hasn’t been that long that the longest operating motorcycle taxi company was granted a 6 month trial period by which the results of the trial will be used to aid in crafting legislation.
One of the members of the TWG or Technical Working Group, the LCSP filed a petition for a Temporary Restraining Order to put a stop to 5 of the identified companies that are now operating Motorcycle Taxis in Metro Manila and possibly other cities as well.
Here is a peek at a couple of pages of the petition before it was filed.
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 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.
The group also clarified that they were never approached about the idea of adding more participants in the test run that is currently being conducted and monitored by the TWG
