MC Taxi TWG Blasts Angkas For Being 'Two-Faced'

After issuing an apology to the government for being "seemingly defiant", the inter-Agency Technical Working Group on Motorcycle Taxi  blasted Angkas for being "two-faced" on the government's pilot run on the use of motorcycles as taxis. The TWG showed a document that Angkas filed a petition dated January 6, before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 223, seeking for a temporary restraining order to stop the imposition of a cap on the number of participating riders in the pilot run of study and the apprehension of "excess riders" as stated in Section 10 of the pilot program's revised guidelines. Aside from that, Angkas also asked the court to issue an order to exclude two other motorcycle ride-hailing service providers WeMove Things/JoyRide and Move It in the pilot program. Earlier, Angkas chief rider advocate George Royeca, apologized for the group's previous actions and assured the DOTr and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) that it will now be cooperating to assure the success of the pilot program. “Dito natin makikita na doble kara ang Angkas. Noong isang araw, nag-sorry sila sa harap ng media. Nangako na susundin nila ang guidelines at makikipag-usap sa gobyerno. Ngayon, nagpunta sila sa korte para i-challenge ang gobyerno. Kasama sa petisyon nila na tanggalin sa pilot study ang Joyride at Move It," said a dismayed DOTr Assistant Secretary for Communications Goddes Hope Libiran. Angkas also assured the DOTr and the Technical Working Group of the study, that they are open to competition from other transport groups joining the pilot. Libiran added that the petition for a TRO that was filed by Angkas also shows that Angkas is "telling a lie" and is not ready to release its monopolistic hold on the motorcycle ride-hailing service sector. "Gusto nila, sila lang. Hindi ba pagkontra din ito sa dati nilang statement na wala silang problema sa kompetisyon? Ano yon, kasinungalingan lang?” she added. Last January 6, the Mandaluyong Court issued a 72-hour temporary restraining order in favor of Angkas, which temporarily barred the DOTr and the LTFRB from implementing Section 10 of the revised guidelines which imposed a rider cap of 30,000 for Metro Manila and 9,000 in Metro Cebu. Angkas also previously lodged a case and was granted a TRO by a Mandaluyong City regional trial court in 2018. The lower court's decision, was however reversed by the Supreme Court.

Also read: After LTFRB says Angkas could be Blacklisted, Angkas Says Sorry
Mandaluyong RTC issues 72-hour TRO vs TWG MC Taxi policy
LTFRB Nabs Angkas Riders in CDO