Angelle De Leon
Senator Bong Go has vehemently denied rumors that he owns the new entrant motorcycle ride-hailing firm, JoyRide PH, a competitor of Angkas.
On December 26, Go tweeted that such reports were nothing but “fake news.”
“Hindi totoo yung kumakalat sa Twitter at ibang social media outlets na ako daw ang may-ari or may interes ako sa JoyRide, isa sa mga bagong players. Fake news po ito,” the Senator wrote on his Twitter account.
Hindi totoo yung kumakalat sa Twitter at ibang social media outlets na ako daw ang may-ari or may interes ako sa JoyRide, isa sa mga bagong players. Fake news po ito.
— Bong Go (@SenatorBongGo) December 26, 2019
According to Go, it was the first time he had heard of JoyRide.
“Sa totoo lang, ngayon ko nga lang narinig ang kumpanyang JoyRide na iyan. Kung meron mang gumagamit ng pangalan ko or nagsasabing kaanak ni Pangulo upang isulong ang inyong pangnegosyong interes, automatically denied kaagad ang inyong application,” he said in another tweet.
Sa totoo lang, ngayon ko nga lang narinig ang kumpanyang JoyRide na iyan. Kung meron mang gumagamit ng pangalan ko or nagsasabing kaanak ni Pangulo upang isulong ang inyong pangnegosyong interes, automatically denied kaagad ang inyong application.
— Bong Go (@SenatorBongGo) December 26, 2019
Go issued his statement after several netizens spread rumors on social media that he owns JoyRide PH.
“Angkas, a Filipino motorcycle rideshare company, is being forced to lay off thousands of workers to give way for a new company named JoyRide, funded by Filipino politician Bong Go,” a netizen tweeted.
https://twitter.com/NoelFAquino1/status/1209355634409234433?s=19
Another one said, “Rumours says Sen. Bong Go is funding #JoyRide Hmmmm.. #SaveAngkas 🛵”
rumours says Sen Bong Go is funding #JoyRide Hmmmm..#SaveAngkas 🛵
— arvzzZ (@arvin_zurc) December 28, 2019
“Ginigipit nila Angkas bcoz Bong Go owns Joyride DAW,” another netizen tweeted.
Ginigipit nila Angkas bcoz Bong Go owns Joyride DAW.
— Kahlel (@kahlel11111) December 26, 2019
A netizen added: “CHIKA MINUTE: Bong Go owns the new entrant ride hailing app: JOYRIDE. A direct competitor of Angkas.
https://twitter.com/DaleYeuvgeny/status/1208561350487597056?s=19
JoyRide and Move It are new motorcycle-hailing firms, which will join Angkas on a three-month pilot testing of motorcycles as public transport as mandated by a Technical Working Group (TWG) created by the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
The TWG earlier downsized Angkas riders from 27,000 to 10,000 to give way to Joyride PH and Move It.
The test pilot run of the motorcycle ride-hailing service will run until March 23, 2020 with an overall allotted cap of 39,000 registered bikers.
The allotted cap will consist of 10,000 bikers per firm for Metro Manila and 3,000 bikers per company for Cebu operations.
The test pilot run aims to provide the TWG more time to widen the scope of their study on appropriate standards and capacities for motorcycles to be considered safe, convenient and eligible for a franchise.
Meanwhile, Go said if he had his way, he would welcome all the players in the industry so they can operate.
“Anyway, kung ako lang masusunod lahat kayo bibigyan ko ng prangkisa at sasama pa akong mamamasada sa inyong lahat,” the Senator said.
Anyway, kung ako lang masusunod lahat kayo bibigyan ko ng prangkisa at sasama pa akong mamamasada sa inyong lahat.
— Bong Go (@SenatorBongGo) December 26, 2019
