Habal-habal drivers get free insurance

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Raymond Garcia has extended his promise of free insurance to not just delivery riders but also habal-habal drivers.

Garcia said this during the Habal-habal Drivers Summit & Christmas Party at the South Road Properties organized by City Councilor Pastor “Jun” Alcover, Jr. over the weekend.

“Naa man koy gisaad sa atong mga delivery riders nga manghatag ko og insurance...Pero kini atong palapdan. Dili lang atong delivery riders atong hatagan insurance kundi ang tanang habal-habal riders atong hatagan og insurance,” Mayor Garcia said.

According to a report from the City’s PIO, close to 4,000 habal-habal drivers attended the event.

"Kini silang tanan basta maka-submit lang og requirements makakuha og insurance,” Garcia added.

For habal-habal riders to enjoy such benefit, city councilor Jun Alcover said, they have to be a registered member of the Cebu City Habal-Habal Drivers’ Association.

Requirements include a voter’s ID, driver’s license and certification from the barangay as proof of work as a habal-habal drivers.

For those who have not yet enlisted, Alcover said they just have to go to Alcover’s office at the Cebu City Hall.

Earlier, the Mayor had pledged to give delivery riders worth P100,000 of life insurance in case of an accident and P20,000 worth of coverage for hospitalization.

This will also be the same insurance coverage for the habal-habal drivers.

Mayor Garcia stressed that this insurance will be coming from his own pocket.

“Dili gikan sa gobiyerno, kay hinapos naman karon (sa tuig), wala tay budget para sa pagbayad para sa inyong insurance. Mao na nga nisaad ta insurance para ninyong tanan, ang kaning premium nga atong bayran para sa insurance gikan intawon ni sa kaugalingong bulsa ni Raymond Garcia, mao na na akong pinaskohan diha kaninyo,” he said.

Aside from the promise of giving out insurance for them, Mayor Garcia also donated four motorcycles, two mountain bikes, five mobile phones and an unspecified volume of rice that was raffled off to the habal-habal drivers.