(File photo)
MANILA – Angkas and its motorcycle (MC) taxis are now allowed to resume operations in Metro Manila after the MC Taxi Technical Working Group (MC Taxi TWG) issued the company a provisional authority to operate.
In a statement on Tuesday, the MC TWG said the provisional authority given to Angkas is valid from Nov. 24 to Dec. 9, noting that the company would be issued a Certificate of Compliance once it completes its pending operational requirements.
In a message to reporters, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Assistant Secretary Goddes Hope Libiran said Angkas’ pending requirements include the provision of accident insurance for both passengers and riders and the mandatory use of thermal scanners.
“'Yung thermal scanner naman, wala sa existing guidelines ng (The thermal scanners are not in the existing guidelines of the) NTF-Covid (National Task Force for Covid-19), but the MC Taxi TWG believes it is necessary, so we will take it up with the NTF-Covid for their consideration,” Libiran said.
Once Angkas’ completes the TWG’s requirements and issued a Certificate of Compliance, she said the company and its riders will then be officially allowed to operate under the Extended MC Taxi Pilot Program.
The TWG is set to discuss the duration and other details of the extended MC Taxi Pilot Program with the House Committee on Transportation on Wednesday, Libiran said.
JoyRide, one of Angkas’ competitors in the MC taxi space, have been issued with a PA to operate under the extended motorcycle taxi pilot program, pending discussions on the mandatory use of thermal scanners.
The PA is valid from Nov. 24 to Dec. 9 and once it has fully complied with the requirements, a Certificate of Compliance shall be issued to them.
Move It, another company, has yet to submit its letter of compliance and has not been scheduled yet for inspection, Libiran said. (PNA)
