George Royeca, co-founder of motorbike ride-sharing app Angkas, is a rare thing: a tech founder crying out for regulation. He talks to Gen.T about the fight to pull his industry within the oversight of the law
One out of three Filipinos owns a motorbike, with the livelihood of many low-income families depending on the vehicles. “A motorcycle is the first thing a low-income family invests in for their future to get them out of poverty," says George Royeca, co-founder and chief transport advocate of Angkas, the Philippines' leading motorcycle ride-sharing service.
Dubbed "Uber for bikes", the company set out to help people get from A to B quickly, avoiding the country's notorious traffic jams. That mission soon took on a different hue when the founders saw the extent to which people depended on the vehicles to feed their families. "When we started Angkas, we didn’t know the extent of how many people this affected," says Royeca. "It shocked me to the core.”
Angkas currently has 27,000 accredited drivers on its platform, according to its most recently published figures. With 18 million motorcycle taxi owners in the country, the potential impact of the startup on the industry is huge. "Our mantra is to change mindsets. If you give the Filipino the proper tools, they will become productive citizens of our country. This is what we are fighting for,” he says.
See also: Ron Baetiong Talks About Why You Should Listen To Podcasts, and Maybe Start Your Own
Angkas' first fight is for the legalisation of motorcycle taxis in the Philippines. Although hailing a motorbike cab, known as habal habal, is a common mode of transport in the country, they are currently unlicensed and illegal. “For every 18 motorcycles, there is one car. Can you believe that? With that many people on motorcycles, there is a need for laws to protect the drivers and the riders,” says Royeca.
The legal grey area causes stress and uncertainty in the event of accidents or disputes, he says. “All of that was up in the air before Angkas entered the market,” he says. In response, the company lobbied for the Angkas Bill to be passed by the government, professionalising motorcycles as a form of transport.
It's a road well travelled. Over the last two decades, more than 20 bills trying to legalise motorcycle taxis have failed. The Angkas Bill got closer than any other, almost going all the way. The fight goes on.
See also: Meet The Filipino FinTech Leaders On the Gen.T List 2021