dotdailydose
In a talk during the recent Roads and Traffic Expo in SMX Mall of Asia, Angkas Chief Transport Advocate George Royeca called for the collective effort from both the government and the private sector, and to work together to come up with a workable, feasible traffic plan to solve the traffic problem in the Philippines.
Angkas, the first app-based motorcycle ride-hailing service in the country, is participating in the two-day conference that provides a platform for public and private stakeholders, to discuss sustainable solutions that address the malignant traffic congestion problem in the Philippines.
“Financial losses incurred from delays caused by traffic affect both individuals and institutions,” Royeca shared, citing a study done by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) that the Philippines will lose P5.4 billion every day by 2035 if the traffic congestion problem is not properly addressed. “Filipinos deserve better,” he stressed.
“We at Angkas are dedicated to providing a safe, reliable, and affordable transport option for everyone, and we will do whatever it takes to continue doing so. Angkas is not the be-all, end-all solution to traffic—no single agency or company can do that. But because of our current partnership with DoTr, we’ve shown that we can at least ease the traffic by providing an inclusive transport option,” Royeca declared.
Meanwhile, Ariel Lim stressed that instilling discipline among the motorists is one straightforward solution to the country’s horrendous traffic crisis.
Apart from constructing more public roads and highways and providing more options for the commuting public, Mr. Lim suggested that the government should inculcate knowledge on traffic laws and regulations by requiring all drivers to undergo a mandatory driving seminar before granting them full driving privileges.
Atty. Ariel Inton for his part, shared that the top two motorist violations in the Quezon City are not wearing helmet and overloading, that one can prevent violating if they have road safety knowledge.
Inton also said that there are already plans to involve the academe to instill the youth with the knowledge of how to be responsible on the road.
Angkas, which is currently on a government-sanctioned pilot run, has become a case study for the successful partnership between a private enterprise and government agencies. In June 2019, Angkas was granted by the Department of Transportation a six-month trial run that legally allowed the service to operate in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu.
All 27,000 biker-partners were swiftly trained on new safety protocol to comply with the mandated requirements of the DoTr Technical Working Group (TWG). Thus far, Angkas has maintained its 99.997% safety record despite initial speculation from government bodies on its safety.
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Tomorrow, Angkas CEO and Founder Angeline Tham will join the second day of the trade show to talk about the role of safe and inclusive mobility options in building more sustainable cities. The expo will continue to tackle on holistic solutions from public and private partners that addressed not only traffic management but the entire ecosystem that led to the mismanaged state of the transport sector today.
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