Abolition of Manila Tricycle Regulatory Office  eyed

MANILA, Philippines – Manila Mayor Isko Moreno asked the city council on Monday to abolish the Manila Tricycle Regulatory Office (MTRO) over alleged corruption issues on its personnel.

“I’m asking the vice mayor for today’s session to abolish MTRO. I hope Vice Mayor Lacuna and the members of the city council, I want you to abolish the entire MTRO,” Moreno said during its regular flag-raising ceremony.

Moreno said that it seems like there are still people from the MTRO who continue the corrupt practices and bad habits from the previous administration.

Moreno, however, did not identify the corrupt MRTO personnel or their corrupt practices.

In an interview after delivering his message, Moreno said that corruption would not end if the same people would be just transferred to another office.

He also clarified that the looming abolition of MTRO is not anti-poor and would not adversely affect tricycle drivers.

“Tatanggalin ko yung nangungurakot, yung mga tao sa gobyerno. Kaya pinapa-abolish ko yung entire office that protects the poor (I will remove people in the government who extort money from the poor),” Moreno said.

“It’s the other way around kasi ang pinahihirapan nila yung mahihirap, yung mga side-car boy, yung tricycle driver, yung mga e-trike. Sino nangongotong sa kanila? Taong gobyerno. Yung taong gobyerno yung tinanggal ko (They are giving the poor people a hard time, the sidecar boys, tricycle drivers, e-trike drivers.  Who are extorting money from them? People in government who we will sack),”  he added. / gsg