DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 22 September) – The Davao City Council committee on transportation and communications submitted for plenary discussion Tuesday the requests of two companies offering motorcycle ride-hailing application services for endorsement to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.
The endorsement is a requirement of City Ordinance No. 0584-21 Series of 2021, otherwise known as “An Ordinance Allowing the Operation of Motorcycle Taxis in Davao City.”
Committee chair Councilor Conrado C. Baluran said Ragde Nino P. Ibuyan and Rannie Amora-Nadela asked Mayor Sebastian Duterte in their letters dated March 8 and June 13, respectively, that they be allowed to operate motorcycle ride-hailing app services in the city.
Ibuyan is the CEO of Sakay Delivery Services, while Amora-Nadela is the CEO of E-RAN Online Delivery Emergency Services Inc.
Ride-hailing services such as Grab, Micab, and Hirna are currently operating in the city.
According to the two committee reports, the ride-hailing services would use an Online-Enabled Transportation Services, a digital-based technology application that connects registered motor vehicle owners and registered customers who would avail of the service.
Ibuyan said in his letter that Sakay “envisions a speedy service to the commuter but without compromising safety and comfort.”
The mobile app would feature “real-time location tracking services such that pick-up and drop-off services are seamless and hassle-free for both the rider and the commuter,” he said.
Amora-Nadela said he plans to expand their services to Davao City, citing that E-RAN already has successful operations in several major cities nationwide.
“E-RAN, or Emergency Realtime Access Network, collaborates with partner merchants, riders, and service providers to offer online delivery and emergency services, catering to the daily needs of the public,” he said in his letter.
The committee report said the LTO XI, through Legal Officer Atty. Rhea Mae Olaivar-Gealon, is supportive of the government’s move to legalize motorcycle taxis as a solution to the present shortage in public transportation.
The report added that the Davao Tourism Council echoed similar sentiments, as the services could provide a safe and efficient alternative mode of transportation as well as economic opportunities by generating income for both riders and the government. (Miah Christine Bontilao/MindaNews)
