Regulation of 'habal-habal' in the city: LTO says there's need to amend traffic code

CEBU, Philippines - The officials of the Land Transportation Office in Central Visayas have requested the Cebu City Council to ask the Congress to amend the specific provision of the Transportation and Traffic Code if it wishes to regulate the operations of the motorcycles-for-hire or “habal-habal” in the city.

Adel Belza of the LTO-7 operations division confirmed that aside from Cebu City, there are other local government units in the region that have inquired on what they can do about this illegal mode of transportation.

Councilor Arsenio Pacaña admitted that the operation of “habal-habal” is an illegal mode of transportation but it is adopted by the residents in the mountain barangays because there are no public utility vehicles that could serve them.

Councilor Nestor Archival asked Belza if it could be possible that the LTO will be the one to make representation before the Congress for an amendment in the provision of the Republic Act 4136 that prohibits motorcycles to be used as public utility vehicles.

Councilor Augustus Pe Jr., chairman of the Cebu City Council committee on peace and order, had sponsored an ordinance that seeks to regulate the operations of habal-habal in the city.

According to Councilor Sylvan Jakosalem, chairman of the committee on transportation, the City Council had already passed a resolution few years ago requesting the Congress to study the possible amendment in the R.A. 4136, specifically the provision that prohibits the habal-habal but there is no action until now.

Committee on law chairman Councilor Edgardo Labella admitted receiving reports that some drivers of these two-wheeled vehicles do not have licenses.

One of the prohibitions that Pe had proposed is that the driver of the habal-habal should not allow more than one passenger and children below seven years old to ride on the vehicle.

The proposed measure also requires a driver of habal-habal to wear an eye protective device, and prohibits him to operate a motorcycle while holding something in his hand that prevents him from keeping both his hands in the handlebars. — Rene U. Borromeo/WAB        (THE FREEMAN)