Close to 14,000 Move It motorcycle taxi riders are at risk of losing their jobs following an order from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to drastically reduce the company’s operational fleet just days before Labor Day.
Under the directive, Move It’s rider cap in the National Capital Region will be reduced from over 14,000 to 6,836. The LTFRB directive also required Move It to cease operations in Cebu and Cagayan De Oro, which will affect an additional six thousand riders.
The company and its rider-leaders said the move would render unemployed thousands of drivers who have already undergone safety training and are currently serving commuters.
In a press conference on Wednesday, Move It rider-leaders appealed to the government and the Motorcycle Taxi Technical Working Group (TWG) to maintain the status quo.
Move It General Manager Wayne Jacinto questioned the timing of the order, and said that aside from ordering the layoffs on the eve of Labor Day, the move was ill-timed given the public transportation problems in Metro Manila.
“Gusto namin makapagbigay ng tapat na hanapbuhay sa bawa’t rider, at ang rider namin gusto magbigay ng magandang serbisyo sa mga mananakay,” said Jacinto.
“Alam natin kung gaano kahirap sumakay ng transportasyon na pampubliko; ngayon pa natin itataon na magtatanggal tayo ng riders?”
Rider leader Jerry Cruz lamented that “kung kailan darating ang Araw ng Manggagawa, saka pa natin babawasan… tatanggalan mo ng hanapbuhay yung libu-libong riders na considered as manggagawa.”
Concerns were raised about the impact of the layoffs on their families. Jacinto explained 14,000 unemployed riders would hit 14,000 families, and as a consequence would affect as many as 50,000 individuals, assuming each family had four members each.
United Motorcycle Taxi Community representative Andy Delos Santos tearfully relayed the fears of his fellow Move It riders following the LTFRB order.
“Maraming nag message sa akin mga rider… nangangamba, baka mawalan ng trabaho,” said Delos Santos.
“Nanahimik kami, nagtatrabaho kami… tapos bigla kaming tatanggalan ng trabaho… 14,000 na rider, 14,000 na pamilya ang pinag-uusapan dito,” he pointed out.
Because of the stakes involved, he said that riders would go out to the streets to inform the government about their sentiments regarding the LTFRB order.
“Kaya kung kinakailangan namin lumabas, lalabas kami sa kalsada para marinig kami ng pamahalaan natin.”
Jacinto said that Move It would submit a motion of reconsideration to the LTFRB.
“Magsusubmit kami ng MR today. Hiling po namin maging patas po sana, wag sana mawalan ng hanapbuhay ang mga rider—at sana pakinggan kami ng kinauukulan ng sa ganun, wag naman po sana ma-displace sila; kawawa naman po sila.”
