My Thoughts On Angkas Motorbike Transportation

Amidst the holiday frenzy is the horrendous traffic in the metro. Can you feel it? As much as I would like to go out to do some errands and grocery shopping at the mall, spent quality time with family at the theme parks I´d rather stay at home to avoid the holiday rush and heavy traffic. Don't get me wrong, I love to see people enjoying the holiday season. I just hope there's a long term solution to Metro Manila traffic.

As early as November, I already felt the holiday rush. From the airport, it took me almost three hours just to get a cab going to Pasay. Thanks to Angkas, mom got home ahead us in thirty minutes for less than a hundred pesos. My sisters queued for the point to point bus, they were hoping to ride the one going to Cubao but the bus was very late due to traffic. They ended up taking the one bound to Ortigas. From there they have to take another bus ride to Quezon City and Valenzuela.

The other night I was stuck in Ortigas because I could not get a cab or book a private car. I've waited for almost two hours, had dinner alone and after an hour or so still no cab to avail. I had no choice but to commute, queued and rode a bus going to North EDSA. I spent almost four hours just to get home in Quezon City. When I arrived I felt so tired and had a terrible headache.

I had a small talk with the taxi driver on my way home from north EDSA and he said that one of the causes of this horrible traffic is the suspension of Angkas Motorbike Transportation.

Angkas Riders Join Unity Ride to Decry Government Discrimination

Around a thousand Angkas riders, who suddenly found themselves at the receiving end of LTFRB apprehensions, joined a massive Unity Ride last Sunday as they decry the LTFRB's continued drive to shut down their operations permanently. 

The Unity Ride, which denounced government discrimination of motorcycle riders, saw around 2,000 bikers from different motorcycle clubs in Metro Manila and nearby provinces going from the 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. Angkas officials, on the other hand, 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 of 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. 

"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. 

I've tried Angkas in Manila a few times, the drivers were in proper gear. They also provided helmet for the passenger. I will be honest sometimes I am afraid to ride a motorcycle, but I would if needed to beat the terrible traffic in Manila. Angkas helps me save a lot of my time from heavy traffic and transportation expenses. With the traffic situation in our country, why don't we give Angkas a chance. They can help hundreds of commuters in return we are also helping the drivers and their families earn a living.