MANILA, Philippines – How will we beat Manila traffic without Angkas? What is your alternative?
Furious netizens took to Twitter to criticize Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) after it announced on Thursday, November 9, that Angkas is "considered as closed."
According to the LTFRB, the popular motorcycle ride-hailing service has been operating without a proper permit.
Recently, LTFRB has been enforcing stricter regulations for transport network vehicle services (TNVS) providers like Grab and Uber. Angkas, however, does not fall under this category.
Angkas has appealed to Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade to consider revising Department Order 2015-11 and include two-wheeled vehicles under the TNVS category. In a statement, Angkas added that they are open to regulation.
Angkas has been widely used by its passengers as an alternative to the inefficient public transport in Metro Manila and to slip through the city's horrible traffic.
Netizens also appealed to LTFRB that instead of only cracking down on innovative apps like Angkas, they should also provide alternative solutions to commuters.
Here are some tweets by netizens on the issue:
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<a class="twitter-timeline" data-partner="tweetdeck" href="https://twitter.com/MovePH/timelines/928598608290574336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">Angkas - Curated tweets by MovePH</a> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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On a lighter note, netizens did not miss out on how Angkas' chose to poke fun at the issue on Twitter. The motorcycle ride-hailing app posted its statement on social media with the caption, "Oh my god… I’m… Ok, I’m so sorry… I… I told you that I’m so confident… Eto, ahmmmm." This was an obvious reference to Janina San Miguel's popular answer during the Bb. Pilipinas 2008.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="tl" dir="ltr">Ang goodvibes ng angkas twitter account hahahahaha gayahin ko kaya char</p>— Bernadette (@ftwBERNA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ftwBERNA/status/928595577125847041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="da" dir="ltr">Huhu give Angkas Twitter handler a raise <a href="https://t.co/fcC8vrI8XM">https://t.co/fcC8vrI8XM</a></p>— Bitch Byers (@jbcabret) <a href="https://twitter.com/jbcabret/status/928587080065728512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="tl" dir="ltr">Ang funny ng caption pero ibalik nyo na angkas hays <a href="https://t.co/e7FJvJd5HB">https://t.co/e7FJvJd5HB</a></p>— hannah (@hanaanzano) <a href="https://twitter.com/hanaanzano/status/928582860318969856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2017</a></blockquote>
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While Angkas has received general support from the public, it does not mean that the app-enabled transport service has been operating free from controversies.
Earlier in July, a tragic crash incident left Angkas rider Alejandor Cajano in comatose. This incident has raised questions about how app-based transportation services are regulated.
Angkas is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as a "software application provide" that uses technology to match its passengers with bikers.
Just like Grab and Uber, Angkas customers can easily book a ride through their app. Aside from being able to zoom through traffic, Angkas riders also offer cheaper fares. – Rappler.com
Are you an Angkas rider? What are your thoughts on this issue?