Law seeks regulation of motorcycles-for-hire

Cebu fifth district Rep. Ramon "Red" Durano VI has moved to legitimize so to regulate the operation of motorcycles-for-hire or "habal-habal" being used in the rural and remote areas.

House Bill No. 5411, which Durano filed recently, aims to grant local government units the authority to regulate and control the use of "habal-habal" in their territorial jurisdictions.

He said that even if these vehicles have proven to be of help in transporting people and goods in rural and or remote areas, which could not be reached through four-wheeled vehicles, still these are classified illegal for being unregistered as vehicles-for-hire.

Another risk is that these vehicles are not covered by any kind of insurance, so that whenever an accident occurs, the passengers or the driver have no way of claiming any benefits or reimbursement for injuries sustained.

And since the vehicles have no franchise to operate, the operators are also prone to harassment by traffic enforcers, he said.

Once House Bill 5411 will be approved, the LGUs will then conduct a survey of all existing and actually operating "habal-habals" in the city and municipality including routes plied by these vehicles.

The LGU shall take charge of the processing and evaluation of applications for the franchise of "habal-habals", the documentation, grant of franchise, and plate numbers, as well as set boundaries of operation of this kind of public transport.

With regards to passenger safety, it is the owner of the motorcycle who upon registration will procure the necessary insurance for third party liability.

Committee on transportation chairman Sylvan Jakosalem of the Cebu City council supports the move of Durano saying that it is now high time for Congress to amend Section 7 of the Land Transportation and Traffic Code and authorize local government units to regulate and control motorcycles-for-hire. It was learned from Jakosalem that Section 7 prohibits the use of motorcycles for a fee. - Flor Z. Perolina and Garry B. Lao