The motorcycle taxi industry breathed a sigh of relief after Transport Secretary Vince Dizon announced a temporary suspension of a regulatory order that threatened the livelihoods of thousands of drivers under Move It.
This comes after the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) put on hold an earlier directive slashing Move It’s rider fleet and halting new driver onboardings, pending resolution of the company’s motion for reconsideration.
“The status quo is kept,” Dizon said in mixed language, explaining that the LTFRB would not implement its decision until Move It’s appeal is fully evaluated. “Wala munang galawan hangga’t maresolba ang motion.”
Move It’s urgent plea, filed this week, challenged the LTFRB’s order as “unjust and discriminatory.” The agency’s directive had ordered the company to reduce its active riders to 6,836, based on a 2020 press release — a number Move It argues was never intended as a formal cap. The company insists that the government’s official guidelines from the same year allowed each motorcycle taxi platform to scale up to 15,000 riders.
Move It warned the regulator’s move would “displace around 14,000 riders who have relied on Move It for their lawful, decent, and respectful livelihood,” raising broader concerns about fairness and due process in the enforcement of transport policy.
The LTFRB’s order also singled out Move It despite larger reported fleets from rivals. Angkas has publicly claimed over 50,000 onboarded riders, while Joyride reportedly has nearly 20,000. Yet no penalties have been levied against either, Move It pointed out in its filing.
The temporary freeze on the LTFRB’s order offers crucial economic relief not just to drivers but to thousands of commuters who rely on motorcycle taxis for affordable, agile transport in Metro Manila.
The transport sector now awaits the LTFRB’s next move, with significant implications for competition, regulatory fairness, and livelihoods hanging in the balance.
