Booking a ride is meant to be hassle-free and convenient for combating traffic in the city.

But what would you do if you encountered a copycat? Someone who goes up and claims you booked them.

Apparently, this has been a recurring issue. A TikTok user named BenThereDoneThat shared their alarming experience last May 2026 about an Angkas faking his identity, claiming he is the rider that they booked. The user immediately believed the rider, as he was wearing a full Angkas uniform.

But what she thought was a seamless ride is a series of uncomfortable events. First, the rider kept pushing to search for her destination rather than using the app’s navigation. Then, she received a text message from her supposed rider asking for her location—that's when a light bulb flickered in her mind.

She also found out that the plate number was not affiliated with the mentioned app and the rider was only a habal-habal.

Habal-habal, also known as Colorum, are typically informal and rely on illegal practices, as they are not affiliated with any famous digital booking platforms, causing two-way traffic for the passengers and legitimate riders. 

Aside from this, they are under negotiated rates rather than a fixed fare, doubling the burden on the people. And the most alarming fact is your safety; habal-habal riders operate outside of legal frameworks, giving you zero accident insurance in case of emergency during the ride.

Meanwhile, registered riders from known companies were found to be squeezed too, as they considered these colorums as their rival to secure customers. Not to say they undergo several tests such as background testing, vehicle and gear checking, and behavioral training, and the most important thing is the practical driving test identifying whether they can safely convey the passengers, according to Angkas.

Hence, both the government and private companies regularly inspect to crack down on unauthorized services of these vehicles. One example from the record was that the officials of a ride-hailing app conducted an inspection on the riders last year to verify their legal affiliation with the app.

In relation, the campaign for the motorcycle taxi law is getting stronger, as until now it's only a bill, not a statute. Meaning these hailing motor taxis are not yet legalized to be used by the public. Joyride, Angkas, and Moveit were implemented under a government pilot program, based on LTOtracker Philippines.

This problem doesn’t need a band-aid solution; what Filipinos need is a long-term, efficient transportation system—where convenience meets comfort and safety.