DILG: Tricycles, pedicabs still prohibited on national roads under GCQ, MGCQ

Image of DILG Usec. Jonathan Malaya from the Laging Handa briefing, posted at the PCOO Facebook page.

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Thursday said tricycles and pedicabs are still banned from traversing the national highways in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) and modified GCQ.

“Nililinaw po ng DILG na bawal pa rin ang tricycles at pedicabs sa national highways kahit pa nasa GCQ o MGCQ level na ang ilang lokalidad. Bago pa man magsimula ang pandemya ng COVID-19 ay ipinagbabawal na ito ng batas para na rin sa kaligtasan ng publiko,” Interior Undersecretary and Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said in a statement.

(The DILG is clarifying that tricycles and pedicabs remain to be prohibited on national highways even during GCQ and MGCQ. Even before the pandemic started, they were not allowed under the law for the safety of the public.)

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said local government units (LGUs) must only allow tricycle and pedicab operations on secondary roads.

“Ang pamamasada ng tricycles sa secondary roads ay konsiderasyon sa mga tricycle drivers na nakasalalay ang kabuhayan dito subalit kailangang sundin ang mga pag-iingat na bahagi na ng ating ‘new normal,'” he said in the same statement.

(Allowing the operations of tricycles at secondary roads is part of a consideration to tricycle drivers who need to earn a living but we still need to observe stringent measures for the new normal.)

The clarification was issued after presidential spokesman Harry Roque announced that sidecars are allowed along national highways for areas placed under GCQ and MGCQ.

Año also reminded that back rides are still banned during the quarantine period to suppress the spread of the new coronavirus disease.

JPV