P10 tricycle fare hike in Roxas City takes effect today

By Felipe V. Celino 

ROXAS CITY, Capiz — The P10 fare hike for tricycles here takes effect today, May 9, 2020.

Tricyle drivers and operators sought the increase after they were mandated to reduce their passenger capacity in keeping with physical distancing rules under the general community quarantine that seeks to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The Sangguniang Panlungsod of Roxas City approved the fare increase after passing on May 7 Regulation Ordinance No. 021-2020

RO 21 temporarily increases and fixes the maximum allowable fares of tricycles operating within the territorial jurisdiction of the City of Roxas. It also suspends the applicable provisions of RO 036-2008 as amended by RO 072-2008.

Under the ordinance, P10 will be charged to each passenger for the first five kilometers and additional P5 for every succeeding kilometers.

Earlier, the city council here held a public consultation on the proposed fare increase for passenger tricycles operating here.

SP member Gregory Albert Potato, public utilities committee chairman, said the public consultation tackled the letter of the Roxas City Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association (RCTODA) seeking a P20 fare after the city government implemented the physical distancing scheme on all passenger vehicles operating here.

According to RCTODA President Wilson Devela, they sought an additional P5 for every succeeding kilometer.

Tricycles, which are regulated by the local government unit, are the most common mode of transportation here.

They were allowed to operate after the province of Capiz shifted from the enhanced community quarantine (ECG) to general community quarantine (GCQ) on May 1, 2020.

Davela explained that the P8 minimum fare could not sustain the daily operations of tricycles considering that only one or two passengers can board at the same time because of the social distancing policy.

He said that the riding public should understand the situation of tricycle drivers and operators who stopped their operations last month because of the ECQ.

Meanwhile, Mayor Ronnie Dadivas announced earlier that not all passenger tricycles can operate every day.

He said they will implement a number coding system on passenger tricycles.