MANILA, PHILIPPINES 24 July 2023 – MOVE IT, a homegrown motorcycle taxi service provider, is taking a proactive step towards professionalizing the local habal-habal sector. Through a series of forums and dialogues, MOVE IT General Manager Wayne Jacinto engaged with hundreds of habal-habal riders and leaders to identify the challenges hindering the transformation of habal-habal riders into professionalized motorcycle taxi servicemen.
MOVE IT’s initiative comes as a timely response to the government’s call to address safety, security, and pricing concerns surrounding habal-habal operations across the country. As the MC Taxi sector strives for utmost safety, reliability, and professionalization of unlicensed motorcycle taxis for hire, MOVE IT is proactively walking the grounds towards the professionalization of habal-habal riders.
During the pilot forum, habal-habal riders expressed the challenges they face daily – primarily related to meeting the set of requirements needed to be recognized as professional MC taxi riders. However, a consensus emerged among the attendees – their commitment to safety is the driving force behind their desire to become motorcycle taxi professionals.
MOVE IT General Manager Wayne Jacinto shares his vision, stating, “We are fostering an environment of open dialogue and collaboration with the habal-habal community to better understand their needs. By addressing the long-standing concerns that impair the sector, we can strategically work on tailored solutions and programs.”
A key commitment made by MOVE IT was to provide assistance to habal-habal riders in obtaining professional licenses – a crucial step towards their integration into the formal MC Taxi sector.
Additionally, habal-habal riders who had all the necessary requirements were invited to proceed directly to the assessment area for immediate skills evaluation and validation. Those who successfully passed the assessment are expected to be officially onboarded as MOVE IT rider-partners.
“We are committed to granting our habal-habal riders easier access to livelihood opportunities that secure their well-being and ensure the viability of their everyday income. We are optimistic that through this, we’ll create a more robust MC Taxi industry – one that upholds safety and reliability for all commuting Filipinos,” Jacinto emphasizes.
Habal-Habal Riders Aspire to be MC Taxi Professionals
Jomar, a habal-habal rider based in Cavite, eagerly awaits his formal onboarding with MOVE IT, as it signifies the start of his journey towards becoming a professional motorcycle taxi rider.
“MOVE IT is the only one who proposed formal assistance to us habal-habal riders to become professionals — for us to become legitimate motorcycle taxi riders. I don’t intend to be a habal-habal rider all my life. I want to become a professional too,” Jomar, a devoted father of four, said.
Tyrone, another habal-habal rider that MOVE IT is onboarding, echoed Jomar’s sentiment, affirming that the benefits of joining a motorcycle taxi company far outweigh the earnings that he gets from habal-habal operations.
“There is really a huge safety risk for both passengers and habal-habal riders. There are also uncertainties when it comes to daily income because there are days that we don’t get any guarantee that we will have any passengers at all,” explained Tyrone, who has been engaging in habal-habal as a side hustle for two years now.
In its commitment to driving financial stability for its rider partners, MOVE IT offers viable earning opportunities and attractive benefits, including low commission rates, competitive incentive schemes, comprehensive insurance packages, and exclusive deals on rider essentials. Additionally, rigorous safety and tech training sessions empower MOVE IT’s rider-partners to provide professionalized and effective motorcycle taxi services.
MOVE IT’s pioneering efforts to professionalize the habal-habal sector mark a decisive step forward for the MC Taxi and the broader transport industry, embracing the government’s vision of safe, reliable, and professionalized motorcycle taxi services. As MOVE IT’s forums and dialogues continue, the transformation of habal-habal riders into respected MC Taxi professionals will undoubtedly usher in an exciting new phase for the Philippine transportation landscape.
