On Talisay tricycle terminal issue Admin's no-show at meeting annoys opposition councilor

CEBU, Philippines - A Talisay City minority councilor has described the administration’s cancellation of the supposed meeting for tricycle drivers’ proposal to re-open the old Tabunok terminal as delaying action on the request.

“It was they who called for the meeting, but they did not come. So, it could mean they’re not interested to hear the sentiments of the tricycle drivers, or, they just do not want to talk about the matter,” said Talisay City Councilor Val Ylanan in an interview.

Reportedly, representatives from the City of Talisay-Traffic Operations and Development Authority (CT-TODA) did not show up.

The meeting was scheduled last Tuesday shortly after the council’s regular session.

This was called after representatives from the CT-TODA last Monday’s meeting called by Mayor Socrates Fernandez referred the matter to the councilors, being the ones who approved the ordinance transferring the terminal to barangay Lagtang.

The meeting last Monday was held after more than 50 tricycle drivers, in their usual tattered clothes, went to the office of Fernandez to ask him to re-open the old terminal just for the holidays.

But it seems that the council or the administration councilors do not want to hear the issue, said Ylanan.

“We’re just a few weeks away and it’s already Christmas. The drivers are only asking for that little time, but they don’t seem to listen,” said Ylanan.

Ylanan sponsored a proposal for this but it was junked at the committee level.

Ylanan was part of last Monday’s meeting and would have wanted to attend last Tuesday’s meeting “to explain the side of the drivers,” but he was not invited.

The office of the vice mayor only invited Councilor Romy Villarante, also of the minority bloc.

The newbie councilor, however, hopes that if city hall would schedule another meeting, he would be invited. – (FREEMAN)