PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — Mayor Lucilo Bayron is set to sign a Sangguniang Panlungsod-approved ordinance increasing the minimum tricycle fare of PHP8 to PHP10 for the first two kilometers.
The ordinance will also add PHP1.50 for every succeeding kilometer within Puerto Princesa City.
The approved fare hike amended the provision of Ordinance 479 that was approved by the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) in 2011 when gasoline was only PHP36 per liter compared to PHP57 today.
Councilor Rolando Amurao, chairman of the committee on transportation of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, said Monday that the tricycle fare increase will only take effect if it has already been signed by the mayor.
“While it has yet to take effect, drivers should still charge the passengers the existing PHP8 fare or else they will be liable for overcharging,” he said.
The process to impose the fare hike may take at least 15 days since it needs to be published in a newspaper.
The latest development in the city’s tricycle fare system was initiated by the Federation of Tricycle Operators and Drivers’ Association in Puerto Princesa City Inc. headed by its president, Efne Lusoc.
Lusoc said the recently approved ordinance would help the operators and drivers of over 4,000 tricycles cope with the increase in the prices of gasoline and motorcycle spare parts.
“It’s favorable for us as the prices of gasoline and motorcycle spare parts have already increased,” he said on Monday.
Amurao, meanwhile, warned drivers that they will not be tolerated if they ask or require a passenger to pay the fare for the overall capacity of their tricycles.
He said the public may report abusive tricycle drivers to his office or at the City Traffic Management Office (CTMO) for appropriate action.
“Some individuals consider paying fares equivalent to two or three or even four passengers, but the tricycle driver should not insist to charge them too much,” Amurao added.
Commenting on this, Lusoc said they are monitoring their own federation members to ensure that the ordinance on the fare guide will be strictly followed.
“In our federation, we can’t say there are members who overcharge because we can’t look after them one by one. However, if there is such a case, we urge the affected passengers to complain. Measures like this won’t be enforced without them making their complaints known to authorities,” he said. (Celeste Anna Formoso/PNA)
