'May kuto': Angkas questioned in Senate hearing over stinky helmets

Motorcycle ride hailing company Angkas was questioned at a Senate hearing on Tuesday over complaints of customers on the questionable sanitary conditions of their passenger helmets.

Senator Raffy Tulfo raised the concern at the Senate public services hearing, citing complaints that he said he received.

"Ito maliliit na reklamo pero dumarami na, 'yung helmet ng mga rider niyo paminsan linisin niyo kasi paminsan mapanghi, mabaho, may kuto," Tulfo said.

"Hindi. Totoo ‘yan, mga ganyang reklamo that [has] to be addressed. Meron pa ngang sumakay [na] kakilala ko, hindi ko na babangitin, after a few days may kuto na siya: 'Sir, may kuto na po ako.' Paano yan?" he asked.

(This may seem as a minor complaint but it has increased, the helmets of your riders should be cleaned occasionally since these have foul odors, lice.

This is true, these complaints have to be addressed. A passenger whose name I will not mention, a few days later that person had a lice infestation. What can we do about this?)

Angkas CEO George Royeca informed the panel that they have already released new helmets and they have already established a sanitation process for their riders.

"Nag-establish na po kami ng mga charcoal sanitation para sa mga helmet tapos we also released, of course, mga subsidized brand new helmets. Meron din po kaming mga helmet cleaner na ginagamit po sa iba’t ibang stations," Royeca said.

(We have established charcoal sanitation for our helmets and have also released, of course, subsidized brand new helmets. We also have helmet cleaners that are used in different stations.)

He also informed the Senate panel that they are requiring the use of shower caps to ensure that cleanliness of the helmets are maintained.

However, Royeca noted that some passengers prefer not to use the said caps.

"Minsan hindi sinusuot ng customer kasi po mainit. Yun po ang rason nila, but required naman po yung shower cap most of the time. Almost all the time, meron po tayong shower cap. Siguro may instances na nauubusan but that’s more the exception than the rule," he said.

(Sometimes customers don’t put them on since it’s hot. That’s their reason, but the shower cap is required most of the time. Most of the time we have the shower cap. Perhaps there are instances we run out but that’s more the exception than the rule.)

The Senate public services committee has conducted a hearing on the bills for the use of motorcycles as public utility vehicles and its regulation. —RF, GMA Integrated News