Chan to tricycle drivers: No swab testing, no special permit to operate

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu—Tricycle drivers who will not be able to participate in the swab testing conducted by the Lapu-Lapu City government will not be allowed to ply their routes.

This was the statement of Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan after they observed a low turnout of tricycle drivers who submitted themselves for the free swab testing for the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

According to Chan, they will only issue special permits to operate to tricycle drivers who went through swab testing and yielded negative results.

“Well ato maning himoon nga protocol nga kinahanglang gyung magpa-test sila, or else dili nato sila isyuhan ug special permit,” Chan said.

(We will make this a protocol that they have to be tested, or else we will not issue a special permit.)

From September 30 to October 2, the City Health Department has only recorded 682 tricycles and PUV drivers who underwent swab testing.

Read: Out of 682 tricycle, PUV drivers in Lapu-Lapu, only one tests positive for COVID-19

Out of these numbers, 611 are tricycle drivers. The total population of the tricycle drivers in the city is 3,000.

Chan said if drivers won’t comply with the directive, he will order their apprehension and they will be issues citation tickets.

Earlier, Federation of Lapu-Lapu Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association (FELTODA) Coordinator Sixto Tumulak admitted that some of their members are afraid to undergo swab testing because no one will take care of their families if ever they test positive for the virus.

Read: Lapu tricycle, PUV drivers undergo swab testing

Chan, however, assured the tricycle drivers that the city will provide food assistance to the families of tricycle drivers infected with COVID-19.

“While they are being quarantined sa atong isolation facility, atong hatagan ug food assistance ang ilang family,” he added.

(While they are being quarantined in our isolation facility, we will give their families food assistance.)

/bmjo