ILOILO City – The city council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance seeking to amend the 21-year-old fare rate ordinance of this city.
Councilor Romel Duron, chairman of the committee on transportation, said his office received several complaints from commuters about overpriced or non-uniform fare rate imposed by tricycle drivers and operators.
“It is high time to amend this 21-year-old fare rate for tricycles,” said Duron. The proposed ordinance was referred to his committee.
Duron noted that the old ordinance was approved in October 2000 yet which sets the regular fare rate at P3.50.
Amending the ordinance, according to Duron, would not only benefit the commuters but also the tricycle drivers and operators, especially with the hike in fuel costs in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.
Duron said there is a need to come up with a “win-win” solution.
“We have to come up with a uniform fare nga nagakabagay after a computation with the stakeholders. Ang mga operators gina-justify nila ila nga sukot so maayo gid nga pasaran ta sang ordinansa. Wala pa ‘ta kabalo kon asta san-o ‘ni ang saka-ay sang gasoline (price). Makaluluoy gid ang aton tricycle drivers and operators at the same time ang mga pasahero nga ginasukot sang sobra-sobra,” Duron explained.
The Iloilo City Tricycle Franchising Regulatory Board, chaired by Mayor Jerry Treñas and vice chaired by Duron, would discuss the matter.
The Metro Iloilo City Federated Tricycle Owners and Drivers Association earlier proposed a P15 minimum fare for the first two kilometers.
They came up with a consensus following complaints against “overcharging” drivers./PN
