Magna Carta for tricycle sector okayed by House
Facade of the House of Representatives. | PHOTO: Official website of the House of Representatives / congress.gov.ph
MANILA, Philippines — The magna carta for tricycle drivers and operators has been approved by the House of Representatives on third and final reading.
House Bill No. 11227, a consolidation of six bills, which defines the rights of workers in the tricycle sector and provides enforcement and protection mechanisms for the tricycle sector as well as public and environmental safety, has been unanimously approved by 180 congressmen in Wednesday’s plenary session.
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While it reaffirms the power of local governments to regulate tricycles and issue permits to operators, it also lays out the duties and responsibilities of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Land Transportation Office and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.
Operating requirements
The bill specifies requirements for operating tricycles, including routes, eligibility of drivers, and vehicle roadworthiness, to ensure overall efficiency, integration and safety of tricycles as modes of public transportation.
It also tasks the DoTr, Department of Science and Technology, and Department of Trade and Industry to encourage the manufacture of more efficient engines and cleaner technologies.
But Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel, who voted to approve the bill, expressed reservations and cautioned that the inclusion of a provision on the “phase-in of more efficient engines” could ultimately violate the rights of tricycle drivers and operators.
“Although we recognize the rights being protected by this proposed measure for tricycle drivers and operators, there’s a hidden danger through the phase-in of more efficient engines,” he said.
According to him, this may lead to the forced phaseout of many tricycle units which do not comply with the guidelines set by the government and the forced purchase of new units that comply with efficient and green standards.
He added that the “phase-in component” of the bill could be used to create a local market where other countries, particularly the United States and China, could dump their surplus electric vehicles and profit from the country’s tricycle ecosystem.
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