Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Bangkok Post
Bangkok Post
World

Philippines town gives taxis a lift as floods become norm

A man steps in a motorcycle taxi, modified to cope with flooding, in the coastal town of Hagonoy, Bulacan province, Philippines, Sept 23, 2022. (Reuters photos)

HAGONOY, Philippines: In a town in northern Philippines where floods have become a perennial problem, motorcycle taxi drivers have modified their vehicles to keep passengers dry and high above the floodwaters.

Motorcycle taxis, a popular form of transport in rural Philippines, have had steel tubes added to the forks of the vehicles, boosting them by a few extra feet to allow them to operate in the worst kinds of floods.

Some streets in Hagonoy just outside the capital Manila have been impassable in recent years, with rain levels reaching as high as two metres (6.5 feet) in monsoon season, when residents either wade through thigh-deep water or travel in small boats.

One of the town's problems, according to officials, is the rapid rise in informal dwellings along a nearby river and lack of adequate waste management solutions. 

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.