Arthur Tugade's receni Seeing the publicclam- propriate standards arid initiatives f or the assess- or on the legalization andiapicities of motorcycles ment of motorcycle laxi rcgulation of motorcycle foi public transportition operations in the coun- taxrs, I ransporL Secretary service, including deter- try ahead of its legaliza- Arthur Tu_gade ea ruer is- mining thepiopei type of tion and regulation have sued the directive to cre- motoriycki th;t c;l be eamed praise ftom gov- ate the IWC to discuss granted a franchise, the emment official8, trans- issues in relation to the minimum Cubic Centi- Poltadvocates,commut- prospect of motorcycle meter (CC) ca pacitv of the ers, and motorcycle rid- taxis operating as public molor, travei spied of ets. kansport. motorcyde taxis,ftanchise Earning the monicker "We attheDOTIknow route, i'eat and helmet re- "Mr. Transpormer" from how lo listen. So even if quirements, and traiJring transport groups for his the 5C has yet to issue a requirements for motor-- Positive tlansf ormation final ruJing, we already cvile bikerslooking to reg- initiatives in the local formed a IWG to studv iiter as a Public"UtilH' hansport sector, Sec. Tu- lhe prospect of motorcf- Vetucle driver. The TWd gade earlier issued the cles serving as-public also discussed regulato- directive to create a tech- transportation." Sec. fu- ry concerns on actount- nical working group gade said in an earlier abjlityforpassengersaJe- (TWG) to discuss issues news report. ty in the event of an acci- inrelation to theprospect The TWC is headed bv dent. of motorcycle taxis oper- Undersecretary Mark d'e On their second meet- ating as public transport. Leon and was comprised ing, the TWG did an on- "Secretary Tugade's of other representatit.<is sitF observation of Ang- creation of a technical from the DOTr, Land kas touted safew traii- working group is an im- fransportation Otfice iJlg program thafhas re- porta nt step in sol ving an (LTO_), LandTransporta- sultid ii theh high safety issue that's been plagu- tion Franchising and Reg- standards. rng thecounky loryears/" ulatory Board-(LTFRB), After the thnee meet- Rep. Winnie Castelo said, Philippine National Police ings, the TWC proposed "I'mpleasedwiththiskind - Highway Patrol Grotrp toionduct a teit run for of decisive leadershiD (PNP-HPG), Metro Mj- motor( ycle taxis ahead of ftom the DOTr and it nila. Der elopment Au- thei! p;opos€d legaliza- shows they ale sensitive thority (MMDA),g'enate, tion a;d iesulatio-n. The to the neehs of the peo- Howeof Represenenives) -proposal is- stilJ up for ple," he added. commuter welfare sec. Tugade,s approval. Rep. Castelo is the groups, road sajety ad- Und"ersecreiiry de chairman of the House locates, motorcyclehan- Leon said that the niotor- Comrnittee on MehoMa- uJacturers, motorcycleor- cycle taxi proposed pilot nil a Development. He has gan,z-atrons, and law run is partoftheeffortsof called severil hearings on schools. the TWG to assess the vi_ motorcycle taxi regul;tion TheTwchasmettbree abilityofmotorcycletaxis as ptiblic utility vehicles as well as to test the irr- plem en ting rules and reg_ ulations (tRR) thar tlie group is drafting. In an earlier meeting of lransport secto! officials and industry players called by presiaentiai Ad- viset on EnhepreneuJship Joey Concepcion, he laud- ed Sec. Tugade for creat- ing theTWG. Concepcion noled that the secretarv has said that he is nrit against any mode o,f ttanspodation as long as it is efficient, safe, and comfortable. Angkas head of Regu- latory and Public Affairs George Royeca likewaise praised the DOTr for the test run initiative. "We would like to thank the DOTi, especially Secre- tary Tugade and Under- secietary de I€o& for their selfless consideration of the plight of our commut- els and motorcvcle rid- ers," Royeca not"ed.