Angkas rides on… for now
By Alexandria Dennise San Juan
Ten months after it voluntarily suspended its operations, motorcycle-hailing service company Angkas is back in operation; but until when, no one knows.
The ANGKAS app is display on a cellphone screen.
(Kevin Tristan Espiritu / MANILA BULLETIN)
The Mandaluyong City Regional Trial Court (RTC) granted a preliminary injunction which prevents transport regulators from interfering with the operations of Angkas and apprehending their riders.
In November last year, Angkas voluntarily suspended its operations in Metro Manila after the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said that it violated Republic Act No. 4136 or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code.
In the order released by RTC Branch 213 in Mandaluyong City dated August 20, 2018, pending the hearing on the main petition for declaratory relief, the LTFRB, as well as the Department of Transportation (DOTr), are barred from interfering directly or indirectly Angkas’ operations.
The order also prevents the LTFRB and DOTr from apprehending Angkas bikers who are “in lawful pursuit of their trade and occupation based on the company’s mobile application.”
Transport regulators are also “enjoined from performing any acts that will impede, obstruct, frustrate,or defeat petitioner’s pursuit of its lawful business or trade as owner and operator of Angkas mobile application,” the order further stated.
In a statement issued earlier, Angkas said:
With Angkas back on the road, our riding public will be able to experience once again our swift, safe, and affordable rides to and from their destinations. This also means we are restoring lost livelihood opportunities to some 17,000 of our Angkas driver partners… This is a victory for the commuting public and for our driver partners.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has also issued a statement regarding the matter, saying they…
“…are saddened by the decision of the Mandaluyong City Regional Trial Court to grant a preliminary injunction to the ride-hailing service, Angkas. The decision keeps the government from interfering, whether directly or indirectly, with the operations of Angkas.
Our position is that motorcycles registered in the service are not authorized to conduct business and offer public transport under Republic Act 4136. For them to be allowed, the law has to be amended by Congress.
Apart from engaging in unfair business practice, the safety of patrons and commuters are also put at risk, as motorcycles are not considered as a safe mode of public transport.
If Angkas is to continue accrediting motorcycles registered as private vehicles to book rides and accept passengers for a fee, it is considered as without authority from the government regulators, and, therefore, are considered colorum vehicles.
The DOTr-LTFRB will exhaust all legal remedies to ensure that our roads are cleared of colorum vehicles, such as Angkas motorcycles.” (with a report from Iñigo Roces)