Tricycle drivers wait for passengers while their units are parked along SB Cabahug Street in Barangay Centro in Mandaue City. CDN Digital photo | Brian J. Ochoa
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines – Tricycle drivers here who would collect excessive fares and violate the “one passenger policy” will be apprehended and fined.
Edwin Jumao-as, the new executive director of the Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (TEAM), said this was the instruction of Mayor Jonas Cortes after the Mayor received numerous reports and complaints about it.
“Ang una gyud gi kuan (instruction) ni Mayor kaning mga tricycle drivers nga sobra sa usa ang pasakyon niya P25 gihapon ang plite, dili matuman ang health protocol naa na pod roy nangbiyahe colorum nga tricycle hinungdan sa traffic, mao sad nay ato’ng gitan-aw ron,” said Jumao-as.
A tricycle is allowed to carry only one passenger at a time in compliance with the National Inter-Agency Task Force’s (IATF) requirement on physical distancing with the fare set at P25 per passenger.
Aside from this, bus drivers who are violating the social distancing protocol for carrying too many passengers will also be apprehended and fined.
Jumao-as said the apprehended drivers will be given citation tickets while fines will depend on the driver’s violation.
The TEAM on Friday, January 8, 2021, has started conducting a roving inspection to ensure that the health protocols are being followed.
On the other hand, Jumao-as said as the new executive director of TEAM, one of his priorities is to clear accusations about corrupt TEAM personnel.
“Ato’ng limpyohon sa mga hearsays nga naay mandawat (kwarta), ingnon nato’ng mga kurakot. Ako naman sila’ng (TEAM personnel) giingnan nga mao na ako’ng objective, one of my priorities nga limpyohon ang dungog sa TEAM naa koy nadunggan, hearsay lang na kay wala paman gyud ko kahibaw pero niaging tuig, Atty Jamaal pa to (Executive Director) naa nay na suspenso tungod ana, lima sila kabuok nidawat og P600 (from a driver) nga dili ma isyuhan og citation ticket tag P120 ra sila, unya nasuspenso og 1 ka buwan, pilay sweldo sa usa ka buwan? Mao na siya,” said Jumao-as. /rcg