ILOILO City – The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Region 6 clarified it has no authority to regulate or oversee motorcycle taxis, also known as “for-hire motors,” in this city and the rest of Western Visayas, amid growing public scrutiny following a recent attempted rape involving a rider.
According to LTFRB-6 officer-in-charge Atty. Ma. Joscet Abellar, their regulatory mandate extends only to four-wheeled vehicles, effectively excluding motorcycle taxis from their jurisdiction.
“We have no enforcement authority over two-wheelers. That’s beyond our control,” she said.
The agency pointed to the absence of national guidelines and legal basis as the reason behind its inability to intervene or impose standards on the operation of motorcycle taxis.
Under Republic Act 4136, or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code, the use of motorcycles as public transport remains illegal.
Atty. Salvador “Jun” Altura, LTFRB-6 legal counsel, explained that while a technical working group (TWG) was formed in 2018 to study the viability of motorcycle taxis as public utility vehicles, the pilot implementation was confined to selected areas — including Metro Manila and Cebu — and Iloilo was not among them.
“Unfortunately, Iloilo was not included as a pilot site. The TWG has already submitted its findings to Congress more than a year ago, but until now, no formal guidelines or enabling law has been passed,” Altura added.
Despite the legal ambiguity, the practical use of motor taxis has surged in urban areas, valued for their affordability and ability to navigate traffic quickly. However, concerns about passenger safety have grown, especially after a 19-year-old woman reported that a motorcycle taxi driver attempted to rape her on the evening of May 18, 2025 in Oton, Iloilo.
The case has renewed calls for government action, with observers urging national agencies to fast-track the legislative process for motorcycle taxi regulation and ensure public safety in cities like Iloilo, where such services are already operating without formal control./PN
