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| Photo by Aris Ilagan |
The riders’ rights group Kapatiran sa Dalawang Gulong (Kagulong) welcomed
the passage of a bill regulating motorcycles-for-hire at the House of
Representatives. House Bill No. 10571 or the “Motorcycles-for-Hire Act” was approved yesterday. A counterpart bill by the Senate had earlier been
passed. The step would be a bicameral session to reconcile the two versions.
“We welcome the legalization and regulation of moto-taxis as it will promote
and protect the livelihood of many of our fellow riders along with commuters.
We call on the Senate and the House to expedite the bicam version and ensure
that riders’ rights are protected as well,” stated Don Pangan, Kagulong secretary-general.
The legalization of motorcycles-for-hire or moto-taxis is among the priority
agenda of Kagulong along with the repeal of the Doble Plaka Law, and protection
for delivery and courier riders. Kagulong’s priority agenda has already
received the support of Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Kiko Panglinan
and other senatorial candidates.
Kagulong pledged to monitor the bicam deliberations on the regulation of
moto-taxis to guarantee no provisions denigrating the rights and welfare of riders
are introduced. Most of Kagulong members are workers using motorcycles as means
of mobility or riders engaged in the various apps. In November 2020, the group
led some 700 Foodpanda riders in a protest that ended at the Department of
Labor and Employment in Manila to seek redress of grievances over reduced pay
and opaque rules.
The group is encouraging the formation of riders’ cooperatives which will operate as moto-taxi platforms. “We call on our fellow riders to unite for the fight to promote both our rights and our livelihood,” Pangan averred.
February 1, 2022
Kapatiran sa Dalawang Gulong (Kagulong)
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