PH, Motorcycle Ride-hailing App Aimed to be Legalized
Angkas is coming back! Just like Grab, car-hailing application, Angkas is gaining momentum to be legalized as a means of public transport. Angkas is a more systematic version and an attempt to legitimize and improve habal-habal (motorcycles stop and pick up passenger then ask for payment). Angkas, on the other hand, uses an application similar to Uber and Grab.
Several legislative proposals which authorize the Land Transportation board to set motorcycles as public utility vehicles were passed for reading and review.
Amidst the car-crowded Metro Manila, commuters constantly battle with crowded public utility vehicles such as buses, jeepneys and trains. Ride-hailing and ride-sharing applications such as Grab and Uber were allowed to operate to aid the commuting struggles. However, use of motorcycles remains illegal.
It is a known-fact that two-wheeled vehicles pose more danger to riders than 4-wheeled cars. But not only in the Metro, but in upland and far-flung areas where public transport hardly or can’t reach, that commuters have a hard time in transportation. Hence, motorcycles became popular and procurement of such became much easier. Attempts to clamp down its use became almost impossible.
As usual, policy-making are often outpaced by practice. Even before bills are passed, this kind of transportation has been in operation for quite sometime due to the aforementioned reasons.
But will Angkas really provide ease of transportation, or will worsen the traffic congestion? Will commuters be able to save time and money which are both at stake due to inefficient public transport?
Let’s discuss with aimtalk teachers:
- Have you ever tried riding on a motorcycle? How was it? What can you say about motorcycles becoming a public utility vehicle?
- Uber is becoming a popular ride-hailing system. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of such applications?
- There are many unique public transportations all over the world. Which one have you tried? How was it? Which one would you like to try?
Vocabulary
momentum(n): the ability to keep increasing, developing, or being more successful
legitimize(v): make something official or legal
legislative(adj): making laws
procurement(n): the action of obtaining something
aforementioned(adj): mentioned before in an earlier part of a document, article, book, etc
