TABUK CITY, Kalinga – The Committee on Transportation of the city council scheduled another public hearing next week on the fare increase bid of tricycle groups after tricycle operators in Bulanao and Agbannawag routes were no-show in today’s public hearing.
Apparently, only tricycle operators and drivers’ associations (TODAs) of Dagupan routes submitted a resolution for a 30% fare increase, which is equivalent to about four pesos, hence, were the only ones among tricycle groups to attend today’s hearing.
But, to make across-the-board changes on the city’s fare matrix, all TODAs in the city must be present or at least be represented in a public hearing as part of due process, said Councilor Ivan Yannick Bagayao, member of the Committee on Transportation.
“Dakami nga members ti transportation committee, we are not against transport groups. [We are here precisely to hear your concerns] but we have to balance with the interest of the riding public],” Bagayao said.
The TODAs present then asked if they can instead be granted a provisional fare increase, leaving out TODAs that are not signatories to the resolution, but the committee, chaired by Councilor Elvis Tabanganay, pushed for across-the-board changes on the city’s tricycle fare matrix, saying this will be more beneficial to all stakeholders in the long run.
“Nu paspasan tayo ta ag-provisional [increase] tayo lang, half-baked ti maaramid tayo. Sunga ti kayat tayo kuma, request ti amin nga representante ti TODA tapnu i-across the board tayo nga amyendaran daytuy nga ordinance tapnu pang-longterm tayo daytan,” Bagayao said.
Aside from fare increase, Bagayao wants amendments to the city’s tricycle fare ordinance to include a stricter penalty clause to protect the riding public from overcharging drivers.
He is also considering replicating the city of Makati and including a provision that will grant the local chief executive the authority to temporarily designate a fare matrix during state of calamity and other extraordinary situations.
It was ultimately agreed that another public hearing will be held on April 4, 2022 at two in the afternoon with representatives from Bulanao and Agbannawag TODAs as well as from concerned regulatory offices including the Land Transportation Office, Highway Patrol Group, and the Public Order and Safety Office.
In the meantime, the Dagupan TODAs will be talking it out with the TODAs of Bulanao and Agbannawag so that they can, as one, submit a resolution on their desired fare increase in their respective routes.
During the hearing, Councilor Sacayle complimented tricycle drivers plying Dagupan routes for their compliance with the fare matrix, observing that they were more law-abiding than their counterparts in Bulanao.
Meanwhile, City Legal Officer Arthur Kub-ao Sr. blasted colorum tricycles whom he said are the boldest in overcharging passengers. He noted that colorum were more rampant in Bulanao.
Tricycle drivers present in today’s hearing include those plying Dagupan, Poblacion-Laya, Poblacion-Balong, Poblacion-Dilag, Poblacion-San Julian, Poblacion- Dilag, Poblacion-Magsaysay, Poblacion-Appas, and Poblacion-San Juan routes.
Also present during the hearing were Councilor Castor Cayaba, another member of the committee on transportation, and representatives from Parents-Teachers Association of Barangay Dilag, the City Public Information Office, City Franchising Office, and other concerned offices and citizens.
