Amnesty given to tricycles with expired franchises

By Cet Dematera

The Legazpi Sangguniang Panlungsod has passed a resolution granting amnesty to the tricycle operators with expired franchises from one to three years ago on account of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Councilor Al Bariso, chair of the Committee on Transportation and Public Utility, said he authored the amnesty resolution in order to spare the operators of the cancellation of their franchises as their tricycle units were not allowed to operate under stricter community quarantines, or, if allowed, with only one or two passengers.

“It will be an added agony for these drivers and operators whose income was already grossly affected by the prevailing pandemic if their franchises will be cancelled,” Bariso said.

He said that he would pass next a resolution to open additional tricycle routes to avoid traffic congestions with more units present in the roads because of the amnesty.

“With their franchises legalized again, we anticipate that more tricycle units will be plying the designated tricycle routes,” Bariso added.

He said that the planned tricycle modernization program of the city was temporarily suspended due to the prevailing pandemic.

Meanwhile, some 1,000 tricycle drivers had received food items distributed by Mayor Noel Rosal and Bariso recently.

Rosal said more than 1,000 additional tricycle drivers will be receiving the same food items soon.

“We are handing them these food items as a gesture of gratitude for their sacrifices if only to comply with the quarantine protocols being required them to observe,” Rosal said.