Talisay City to boost drive vs. unregistered tricycles

After terminating the issuance and renewal of franchises of tricycles, the Talisay City council is now set to strengthen its campaign against unregistered tricycles, in the wake of reports that at least 50 percent of these vehicles in the city are unregistered with the Land Transportation Office.

Vice Mayor Aberdovey Belleza, as chairman of the city's Traffic Commission, said Tracom had discussed and endorsed this matter to the city council recently, prompting the latter to set measures to resolve it.

The Tracom found out that, as of November last year, only 1,704 tricycles were registered at the city's Land Transportation Office. However, there are more than 3,000 tricycles plying different routes within the city.

Reports reaching Tracom stated that three tricycle units share one franchise, a situation that arose when the original owner sells his franchise to another tricycle operator, who in turn sells it to another operator.

This irregularity was discovered when franchisees came to renew their franchises at the LTO permit and licensing division office and found out that the last franchise holder did not own the franchise registered at the LTO.

Mayor Socrates Fernandez, for his part, said he already directed human resource officer Emily Cabrera to check on these reports, adding that those caught doing this illegal practice will be penalized in accordance with law. - Liv G. Campo