MMDA cracks down on ‘habal-habal’

First posted 03:52am (Mla time) Jan 30, 2006
By Tarra V. Quismundo
Inquirer



Editor's Note: Published on page A20 of the Jan. 30, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer


IN THE midst of heavy Metro traffic, they alone continue to move, sliding in and out of the narrow spaces in between vehicles.

But luck may soon run out for the so-called habal-habal, private motorcycles being used as public transport, which are increasingly becoming popular among commuters who must “fly” to their destination.

Worried about the dangers it may pose to the commuting public, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has begun a crackdown on these illegal motorcycles-for-hire, the agency’s traffic chief said yesterday.

“There is a need to put them under surveillance. And we are already apprehending the violators we see on the road, because we’ve received many reports about their illegal operations,” said MMDA Traffic Operations Center (TOC) executive director Angelito Vergel de Dios.

He said their traffic enforcers have been deployed to places where habal-habal are known to operate.

“It’s hard to distinguish between private motorcycles
and those for hire, but through surveillance, we will be able to detect those taking one route habitually, with different passengers every time. Once we get proof, that’s the time we move in,” explained the traffic chief.

The habal-habal first became popular in rural areas in Visayas and Mindanao. The two-wheeled public conveyance reached Metro Manila last year, and came to the attention of traffic authorities three months ago, Vergel de Dios said.

“The [rider] and the driver both benefit because the passenger gets to his destination fast, and the driver earns money,” he added.

Based on the monitoring of the MMDA-TOC, one known route of the habal-habal is from the EDSA-Ayala Avenue intersection in Makati City to Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City.

The passengers are charged P20 each.

“Their operations are illegal. You could only use motorcycles as public transport if you have a sidecar,” said Vergel de Dios, referring to tricycles.

Reports of habal-habal operations in Metro Manila came at a time when the growing number of private motorcycle owners has become a road safety concern.

Accidents involving motorcycles have risen steadily in the last four years. Last year, the number of cases in the first three months were more than double the total number of accidents for the entire year of 2004.

The database of the MMDA’s Metro Manila Accident Reporting System showed that road accidents involving motorcycles totaled 4,156 last year, up by almost 150% percent from the 2004 figure of 1,706 incidents.

Despite the risks, motorcycle users have continued to increase, based on figures of the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

As cited by the MMDA in a report, the LTO received 60,462 applications for motorcycle registration in the first half of last year.