Joy Belmonte creates task force on tricycle routes

MANILA, Philippines — Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte has created a task force that would review the city’s tricycle route plan in response to a government order to ban these vehicles from national highways.

Belmonte issued an executive order in line with a circular issued by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), which directed local government units to establish a tricycle task force that will formulate or review the route plans.

“The task force will ensure that the city abides by the DILG’s directive and will guarantee that the livelihood of affected tricycle drivers and operators are protected,” Belmonte said.

“The city will be strict about this and will only grant exemptions after all efforts have been exerted,” she added.

The city has 24,756 tricycles with franchises and 2,237 utility service tricycles.

Belmonte said the task force would update the city’s route plan, which was last revised in 1996.

The task force will come up with a schematic map showing the location of tricycle terminals and authorized tricycle routes, as well as identify portions of the national highways that may be used by tricycles due to lack of alternative routes.

A interagency group will ensure that alternative livelihood options are provided to drivers who may be affected by the ban.