THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has dismissed allegations of an uncontrolled increase in motorcycle taxis (MC taxis), asserting that the number in the National Capital Region (NCR) has remained constant for the past three years.
In a statement issued on Monday, LTFRB Chairperson Atty. Teofilo Guadiz III clarified that the number of MC taxis in NCR has been capped at 45,000 since 2020. He emphasized that any increase in numbers occurred only in Regions III and IV, where 4,000 additional MC taxis were allowed in each region.
“LTFRB did not increase the number of MC taxis in NCR. It has been pegged at 45,000 for three years. It still stands at 45,000,” Guadiz stated. “The increase was in Regions III and IV, at 4,000 each.”
Guadiz also refuted accusations that the LTFRB’s Technical Working Group (TWG) for MC taxis failed to submit its study results, which formed the basis for the passage of House Bill 10571, or the Motorcycle Taxi Bill.
The bill, which seeks to regulate motorcycle taxis as a safe and economical public transportation option, was approved by the House of Representatives in October and is currently under review by the Senate Committee on Transportation.
“The TWG submitted its report to both the House Committee on Transportation and the Senate Committee on Transportation,” Guadiz explained. “This report was the basis for the passage of the bill by the House.”
Guadiz also addressed reports of declining ridership, attributing the decrease to evolving work and school schedules, as well as greater reliance on mass transportation options like trains and buses.
“Decrease in ridership was the result of changes in work patterns, such as work-from-home arrangements, asynchronous academic schedules, and increased use of mass transport,” he said.
The LTFRB emphasized that only three motorcycle ride-hailing companies are currently authorized to operate nationwide.
This clarification comes in response to claims by major transport groups that an uncontrolled rise in MC taxis has affected their daily income, reportedly cutting it by as much as 50%.
Guadiz underscored that such claims are “false and misleading,” urging the public to rely on verified information.