Angkas Not Authorized to Provide Public Transport: LTFRB

MANILA — Motorcycle ridesharing firm Angkas is not authorized to provide public transport services, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said Thursday.

“The DOTr (Department of Transportation)-LTFRB, as a regulator, is being faithful to its mandate when it ordered Angkas to cease operations. Our position is that motorcycles registered in the service are not authorized to conduct business and offer public transport under Republic Act 4136. For them to be allowed, the law has to be amended by Congress,” the Board said in a statement.

The Mandaluyong City Regional Trial Court issued a writ of preliminary injunction, preventing the DOTr and the LTFRB from interfering with Angkas’ operations.

It prevents the two agencies from apprehending Angkas bikers, who are lawfully engaging in their trade or profession, based on its mobile application and from performing any act that will impede or obstruct the petitioner’s pursuit of its lawful business or trade as owner and operator of the Angkas mobile application.

On the other hand, LTFRB said its decision to suspend Angkas’ operations was in accordance with its mandate as a transport regulatory agency.

“If Angkas is to continue accrediting motorcycles registered as private vehicles to book rides and accept passengers for a fee, it is considered as without authority from the government regulators, and, therefore, are considered ‘colorum’ vehicles,” it added.

“The DOTr-LTFRB will exhaust all legal remedies to ensure that our roads are cleared of colorum vehicles, such as Angkas motorcycles,” it said.

The injunction will remain in effect until final resolution of the case.

Angkas suspended its operations last November after an enforcement operation conducted by the LTFRB on its main office in Makati City revealed that it is operating without a business permit. (PNA)