Some drivers and operators of motorcabs-for-hire, commonly known as tricycles or pedicabs, lifted their transport strike on Monday following an agreement with authorities regarding the number of allowable passengers per unit.
Members of the Federation of Dumaguete Motorcab Operators & Drivers Association (FeDuMCODA) launched the peaceful pocket protests or Tigil Pasada early in the morning after an announcement last week by the national government that only one passenger would be allowed per tricycle unit.
The protesters said this was impractical and unfair as it would drive them deeper into poverty with the current situation brought about by the global health pandemic.
In a meeting in the afternoon between Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo, the Highway Patrol Group, and the tricycle drivers at the city hall, an agreement was reached for a “substantial compliance” with the national law covering MCHs, provided that the operators and drivers would conform to certain requirements, such as wearing of face masks and observing safe physical distancing.
Remollo said the city is not going against the national government’s law prescribing prohibitions on public transport, specifically, tricycles, but is simply innovating it, describing it as “substantial compliance” to avoid disenfranchisement of the operators and drivers.
One important requirement is to put up a plastic barrier between the two passengers facing each other inside the sidecar, and another between them and the driver.
The tricycle or pedicab is the main form of public transport in this capital and is a sector badly hit by quarantine measures imposed since March by the government to stem the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019.
During the enhanced community quarantine in the month of April, Remollo allowed tricycle operation but the drivers had very little income and many decided to stay home instead as movement was restricted for the majority, except for sectors exempted by the ban, such as government workers and those ferrying essential goods.
Following the transition from ECQ to general community quarantine, these tricycles were allowed to continue to operate but only one is permitted, instead of the allowed maximum capacity of two passengers inside the sidecar during the ECQ.
Tricycle fare has also tripled or quadrupled because of losses incurred with the imposition of restrictions on the number of passengers allowed.
Monday’s transport strike did not affect the riding public as many other tricycles still operated and opted not to join the protest activity. (Juancho Gallarde)
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