The House committee on Metro Manila development, various government transport agencies, and tricycle operators and drivers groups signed on Wednesday an agreement to hold a summit on traffic management in a bid to answer the concerns of tricycle drivers.
At a hearing of the committee chaired by Quezon City 2nd District Rep. Winston Castelo, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Department of Transportation’s Inter-Agency Council on Traffic (i-ACT) and various tricycle operators and drivers associations in the Metro have agreed to form a technical working group to forge solutions for various traffic problems.
Castelo asked the MMDA to conduct a trial for one month to determine the viability of using the rightmost or innermost lane of Katipunan Avenue as a tricycle lane.
“May mga batas na nagsasabing bawal ang tricycles sa national roads. However, kung walang alternative routes, maaring daanan ito ng tricycle. Pero ‘yan ay may approval ng hepe ng TRU (Tricycle Regulatory Unit). Meron po ‘yang idedesignate ‘yung innermost lane sa right side and single file lang, walang overtaking, para hindi makain ‘yung national road. The innermost will be followed, that’s the concept,” he said.
Meanwhile, Aileen Lizada, spokesperson and board member of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), raised her concern on the use of tricycles as school service vehicles.
But Castelo argued that the LTFRB does not have jurisdiction over all tricycle matters, including the use of tricycles as school services. He said the jurisdiction and sanctions will be handled by the local government units (LGUs) based on their own ordinances.
“Kung konsepto na school bus ang tricycle, wala silang pakialam doon. Nasa LGU yan,” he said.
Castelo also specifically asked the Quezon City local government to increase the allowed maximum capacity for tricycle school services from three to five, just like in the cities of Pasay and Parañaque. He said this would somehow help tricycle drivers increase their income.
For his part, Charlie Mangune, president of TODA Federation District 2, also raised his concern about tricycle insurance saying they are only given a third-party liability (TPL) insurance amounting from P500 to P600, and which only covers the injuries or death of a third party.
Mangune said this kind of insurance does not cover personal injury or death of the insured, or any injuries or death of family and employees. It also does not cover damages to the insured vehicle or property damage to a third party.
“Pineperahan lang po kami,” he lamented.
According to Lizada, insurance for tricycle operators are covered by the National Council on Compensation Insurance, where the passenger insurance are worth P400 to P700 for one year. She said this covers all liabilities depending on the driver or operator’s benefits.
Castelo then proposed the creation of a revamped passenger insurance to include the TPL. He said the insurance would only amount to P400, which will be paid by the operator.
Castelo also proposed that the passenger insurance in Quezon City– amounting to P9 to 10 million for all 24,700 tricycle operators and drivers associations — be paid by the local government. /muf Micah Yurielle P. Atienza/ Intern, INQUIRER.net