Mandaue City Moves to Regulate Habal-Habal Fares with New Resolution
The City of Mandaue is taking decisive action to protect passengers from arbitrary pricing or overcharging by habal-habal motorcycle-for-hire services through a newly passed resolution that aims to establish standard fares across all 27 barangays. Recently, the Mandaue City Council approved Resolution No. 365-2026, which was introduced by Councilor Jun Arcilla Jr. and supported by Liga ng mga Barangay President Dante Borbajo. This resolution calls for the standardization or setting of uniform fares for motorcycle-for-hire services throughout the city's barangays.
Addressing Passenger Complaints and Inconsistencies
This measure was implemented in response to a growing number of complaints from passengers, particularly students and workers, regarding unequal fare charges even for similar travel distances. According to reports, some drivers have been charging between P25 and P40 for trips covering just one kilometer, raising alarms due to the lack of a clear pricing basis.
Councilor Arcilla emphasized that the resolution seeks to bring order and fairness to the system by empowering barangays to lead in setting reasonable prices. He clarified that barangay captains will be urged to convene meetings with habal-habal drivers operating in their respective areas to agree on fare rates.
Ensuring Fairness and Preventing Abuse
"We crafted this resolution so that barangay captains can call meetings and determine proper and equitable fares, ensuring no confusion or conflict arises. If we leave this unchecked, it could lead to chaos where some drivers charge whatever they want. This is especially difficult for students," Arcilla stated.
While acknowledging that fare increases may be understandable due to rising fuel costs, Arcilla stressed the need to regulate prices to prevent abuse and protect passengers. Under the resolution, each barangay will conduct consultations with driver group leaders, with the final fare matrix depending on the outcomes of these discussions.
Importance of Habal-Habal Services in Remote Areas
Habal-habal services remain a vital mode of transportation in hard-to-reach areas such as Barangay Casili and Barangay Tawason, where access to public vehicles like tricycles is limited. The resolution aims to balance affordability for passengers with fair compensation for drivers, fostering a more structured and reliable transport ecosystem in Mandaue City.
