Press Release
December 3, 2010

JINGGOY STUDYING "KULIGLIGS" AS POSSIBLE PART
OF MAINSTREAM TRANSPORT

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada today revealed that he is studying the possibility of having the "kuligligs" or motorized pedicabs of Manila as part of the mainstream transportation - registered, covered by traffic rules and regulations, meeting safety and public service standards especially for their passengers; and paying corresponding taxes and fees to the government.

The senator said that instead of looking at kuligligs as so-called "pests of the road," they could in fact be seen and appreciated as another fruit of Filipino ingenuity and as a neighborhood transportation means catering to the daily, short-travel needs of community residents such as to and from the nearby marketplace and grocery stores, drugstores, health centers, schools and the main transport stops and terminals along the major highways.

This, he added, is on top of the concern about the livelihood and income opportunities that would be lost from the hundreds of kuliglig drivers and operators if their industry would be limited in major degree, or worse, phased out totally.

"In resolving this issue, thorough studies of the matter as well as extensive consultations with all concerned sectors should be undertaken," said Estrada, chair of the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development and the joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Labor and Employment.

He noted the information that kuligligs are not registered with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) because they do not have body serial numbers and they, at least their forerunners - those used in the farms - serve purposes other than simple transportation.

He likewise noted the laws in several countries recognizing the wide use of "mopeds" (motor-pedal vehicles) under which, he said, the kuligligs could be considered as categorized.

Estrada particularly mentioned one of the most recent enactments on this, the 2006 inclusion in the state of Iowa's Code, which includes, among others, the following provisions:

  • such vehicle must have a manufacturer's label attached to it, certifying that the vehicle meets all the safety standards, and indicating therein if the vehicle is to be titled and registered for use on a street or roadway; 

  • with speed not exceeding 30 miles per hour;

  • complying with traffic rules and regulations;

  • securing a registration and appropriate licensing; and

  • paying corresponding taxes and fees.

"This issue about the kuligligs is indeed complicated, and needs balancing of all related concerns: the traffic rules and the problem with congestion and hazards in major roads, the safety of passengers, taxes and fees, the travel needs of communities which they cater to and the livelihood of the kuliglig drivers and operators," Estrada admitted. "However, I believe we could find the best way to resolve this issue through continuous studies and consultations on the various measures that could be undertaken, one of which is the possibility of legitimizing them as part of our country's mainstream transport industry. Who knows, the kuligligs might even prove to be actually another notable Filipino innovation, and a vital feature in our communities' daily life!" he added.

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