City to revise penalties of dispatching ordinance

Cebu City officials are mulling revising the penalty of City Ordinance 2108, the anti-dispatching ordinance of Cebu City, as they admitted they cannot fully stop the illegal activities of dispatchers by just placing them in jail.

They are mulling change the present penalty to public service because many of these dispatchers do not mind being arrested as they are assured of a meal behind bars.

The newly amended City Ordinance 2108 carries a fine up to P5,000 and a year’s imprisonment, but still it appears not to hinder dispatchers from their activities.

Only last Monday, ten more dispatchers were arrested and charged before the court, bringing to 60 the number of persons apprehended for violating the city’s anti-dispatching ordinance in the past six weeks.

The latest accused were Alvin Sayson, Jolister Villamor, Hons Walter, William Apurya, Jovilito Hirejano, Nicanor Mangubat, Ronnie Roques, Jaworski Arenales, Aniano Ferrer and Ryan Abadilla, all residents of different barangays in Cebu City.

Councilor Augustus Pe Jr., who heads the committee on public order and safety, brought up the matter before the City Council after councilor Roberto Cabarrubias sponsored a resolution asking the traffic authorities to strongly enforce the anti-dispatching ordinance.

Pe said based on the statistics he received from the traffic officials many persons have already been apprehended for violating the city’s anti-dispatching ordinance but still it continues.

Vice Mayor Michael Rama supported Pe’s recommendation that “watch your car” boys be included for apprehension under the ordinance and required to render public service as their penalty.

“Daghan sa maong mga dispatchers malipay hinoon nga mapriso kay libre ang ilang kaon sa prisohan.  Mao nga inig kagawas, mobalik na sab aron madakpan og mahibalik sila sa bilanggoan,” the vice mayor said.

But the recommendation of Pe cannot be implemented yet until after the existing city’s anti-dispatching ordinance can be amended and to clearly specify that the rendering of civic duty is another way penalizing the violators.

Dispatching is defined as an act of procuring, soliciting, or escorting passengers or would-be passengers to any passenger vehicles whether such act is done under direction of the driver or operators and done with or without collecting or demanding fees.  — Rene U. Borromeo/BRP