Mandaue tricycle drivers’ call: No more business permits

MEMBERS of a group of tricycle drivers in Mandaue City are calling on the city government to eliminate the business permit requirement on top of the renewal of their tricycle franchises.

Glenn Antigua, Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (Team) chief for operations, said this was among the main concerns of members of the tricycle drivers and operators association in Barangay Canduman during their first consultative meeting last week.

The group, which has 100 members, told Antigua that most of them earn a meager income daily and could not afford to renew two permits.

They also said that they were the only ones required to secure a business permit while other public transport drivers like jeepneys and taxis were not required to secure one.

“This is one of their pleas, for them to not be required to secure business permits anymore just like the drivers of other public utility vehicles like jeepneys and taxis,” Antigua said.

Antigua said during the meeting the Canduman drivers had already updated their franchises.

The Salito Lepon, 38, a tricycle owner and driver plying the Cabancalan and Maguikay routes, share the same sentiment with the drivers of Canduman. Alongside spending almost P2,000 to update his franchise, Lepon complained about still having to shell out around P1,800 annually for the renewal of his business permit.

“Bug-at kung naa pa’y business permit. Mas maayo franchise na lang gyud. Kung every year magpa-renew sa business permit, maglukat pa gyud og cedula, clearance. Dako kaayo og gasto lagi (Renewing the business permit every year is quite heavy in the pocket. It would be better if we only have to renew our franchise. Plus we still have to secure a cedula and a barangay clearance. It’s too costly), ” Lepon told Cebu Daily News.

Antigua said he would inform Mayor Gabriel Luis Quisumbing of the tricycle drivers’ concerns.

He also said that he would also raise the concern to the City Planning and Development Office and the City Legal Office.

Team’s crackdown on colorum tricycle drivers operating in the city had received support from legitimate tricycle drivers like Joel Repolo, 30.

“Wagtangon na ang colorum oy kay alkansi kaayo ta. Sila wala’y gastoan. Kami taga-tuig (Team must eliminate colorum drivers because it’s unfair that they earn and operate in the city without having to pay for the renewal of their permits unlike us who diligently do so annually),” Repolo added.

The Mandaue City government is giving colorum tricycle drivers until Feb. 24 to secure a franchise. Only 2,000 tricycle units are allowed to operate in the city.