In Barangay Kalunasan: ID system pushed for "habal-habal" drivers

CEBU, Philippines - Barangay Kalunasan will soon be implementing an ID system on all “habal-habal” or motorcycle-for-hire drivers in the area to have identification of all the drivers and eradicate the phony ones.

This following the recent arrest of at least five young habal-habal drivers who are tagged in several armed robberies in the city, including the robbery-killing of an Iranian student along Juana Osmeña Ext., barangay Capitol Site last January 22, and the recent shooting of a Bigfoot employee at the corner Rosales Street and Juan Luna Avenue in barangay Mabolo.

Kalunasan barangay captain Edelito Mabano said there are some 300 to 400 “habal-habal” drivers in his barangay and all of them will be asked to register to be given IDs for them to be listed in the barangay’s database so that their activities will be monitored and controlled.

The ID system will also prevent minors to drive the habal-habal, he added.

Mabano said it is unfair to tag the arrested robbery suspects as “Kalunasan habal-habal robbery group” as not all of the drivers in their area are criminals. “Nagtinarong man ang kadaghanan nila. Sa mga pasahero, nga kasagaran mobisita sa BBRC, kay wala ma’y reklamo bahin nila.”

Before the driver is given an identification card, he will be required to present the official receipt of the purchase of the motorcycle, the vehicle’s certificate of registration and his driver’s license.

Mabano said that the drivers will be organized into one federation so they would have a list of the names and they would know who the legitimate members are.

As of now, the barangay chief said the groups are already members of different organizations, and they were already notified of the proposed implementation of the ID system. Two of the three groups have already passed the requirements.

The habal-habal is the most common means of transportation in the barangay especially in areas where there are no jeepneys. Most of the people who visit their relatives at the Cebu City Jail, which is located in the barangay, use this mode of transportation. — AJ dela Torre/WAB (THE FREEMAN)