Public told to avoid colorum tricycles

COMMUTERS in Mandaue City were advised to avoid patronizing colorum tricycles lest they be inconvenienced in case they figure in accidents.

“Colorum tricycles don’t have licenses or permits. If there’s an accident, the operators cannot provide insurance to their drivers nor to their passengers,” the mayor’s executive secretary Jamaal Calipayan said.

He said commuters should look for the business tax plate or the business permit of the tricycle drivers and those who don’t have them should be reported to the police. Calipayan said there are also tricycle operators that use fake permits.

Instead of tax plates, Calipayan said they will soon issue special stickers for tricycles after receiving reports that operators borrow tax plates from business establishments like sari-sari stores.

The Mandaue City government recently created a Tricycle for Hire Franchising Board chaired by Mayor Jonas Cortes and consists of officials from local and national transport agencies.

With the presence of the board, Calipayan assured that there will be transparency and fairness.

Calipayan said there were 1,485 franchises renewed by October 2011 while 515 were declared vacant.

Lady Sparrow Belarmino, tricycle board secretary said the renewal of franchises happens every three years.

Franchise owners pay P570 for renewal while penalties for expired franchises run up to P1,120. Reporter Jucell Marie P. Cuyos