Dad wants P1.7M to buy trisikads

CEBU, Philippines - Even as the operations of thousands of trisikads in various places in Cebu City cause traffic, there is now a proposal for the city to give P1,750,000 to an organization in barangay Basak-San Nicolas for the purchase of 250 trisikads.

Councilor Eduardo “Edu” Rama, who also lives in barangay Basak-San Nicolas, explained that he is sponsoring a resolution for the city to grant the amount to the Basak-San Nicolas Multi-Purpose Cooperative in line with its project called Trisikad Para sa Kabuhayan (Tsika).

According to the project proponent Sinen Timoteo Vasquez, the project aims to provide income to displaced and unemployed bona fide residents of barangay Basak-San Nicolas in order to minimize the negative socio-economic effects on the marginalized sector brought about by the present global economic downturn.

The Cebu City Private Sector Organizations Evaluation and Monitoring Board headed by Rama recommended the granting of the amount for the purchase of 250 trisikads, but it has triggered adverse reactions from traffic authorities.

“Ngano god tawon nga ila man na nga giaprobahan. Ato man gani nga kampanyahan kay moabuso man g’yod nang mga trisikad drivers, karon ang City Hall na hinoon ang mohatag og kwarta aron ipalit og trisikad… binuang,” a traffic enforcer said.

Another traffic officer said “Sigurado g’yod nga makapadugang ni sa among problema kun magsugod na pag-operate kining 250 ka trisikad. Ang mga opisyal ra sa City Hall ang mabasol kun magkaguliyang ang trapiko.”

The city has an existing ordinance that prohibits the operations of trisikads in areas where there are public utility jeepneys plying, but many trisikad drivers still violate this. There was also an ordinance that allowed the confiscation of a trisikad’s sidecar once it will be apprehended, but it was later amended to exclude such a provision.

“Kadto nindot kaayo to nga paagi kay mahadlok na man ang mga trisikad operator nga mo-operate sa gidili nga dapit kay dili na man i-uli ang ilang sidecar, apan tungod kay hapit na man ang eleksyon milugak ang kampanya,” said the CITOM enforcer.

But Councilor Jose Daluz III explained that the provision to confiscate the sidecar or attachment as a penalty may no longer be legal and has exceeded to the power given to them by the Local Government Code.

Councilor Raul Alcoseba had observed that if the punishment is just a mere fine it will not scare the drivers or operators from plying in undesignated places in the city and causing traffic.

Rama already presented his proposal in last Wednesday’s regular session of the city council, but it was not approved yet because there are some minor changes to be made in the supporting documents.

If the city council will approve the needed budget, the cooperative will then start identifying the qualified beneficiaries. 

It will be a “rent-to-own project” where the beneficiary will be paying a certain amount as their rent, but later they will own the unit.

The existing fines are P500 for the trisikad owners whose units are apprehended for failure to register, install plate numbers and early warning devices; and P1,000 if apprehended for operating in non-designated areas. — Rene U. Borromeo/BRP   (FREEMAN NEWS)