Public consultation on fare hike today

By Felipe V. Celino

ROXAS CITY, Capiz — The Sanggunian Panlungsod (SP) here is set to hold 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 will be held today at the City Hall.

The public consultation, Potato said, will tackle 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.

Only a handful of persons were invited to the consultation to observe social distancing.

According to RCTODA President Wilson Devela, they will also seek 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 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.

Davela is hoping that the city council would grant the request of the tricycle drivers and operators as soon as possible.

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.