Tricycles for hire Mandaue to replace plates with stickers

CEBU, Philippines - The Mandaue City government plans to replace the business tax plates issued to tricycle-for-hire operators and with unique stickers.

The plan came up during a meeting of members of the newly formed “city franchising board.”

Comprising the Tricycle for Hire Franchising Board, chaired by Mayor Jonas Cortes, are the Land Transportation Office (LTO) represented by Dennis Bustillo; Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) represented by Ahmed Cuizon, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) represented by Jhoaden Lucero, and other government offices.

The franchising board was created through Executive Order No. 02 of 2013 which was approved by the mayor last February 13.

“Kinahanglan siya og naay board because the grant of franchise is a privilege given by the city of Mandaue to individuals and cannot be granted by just any person,” lawyer Jamaal Calipayan, the mayor’s secretary, said.

He assured there will be transparency and fairness.

The board came up with the use of special stickers after it learned some tricycle operators borrow business tax plates from sari-sari store owners to avoid being apprehended for failure to secure or renew their franchise tax.

Calipayan said the stickers will be placed inside tricycles but visible to commuters and traffic enforcers.

On the other hand, Calipayan discourages commuters from patronizing tricycles with fake franchises for the reason that these vehicles are not insured and victims of accidents will have to pay for their own hospitalization and medicine.

 â€œActually kung mosakay mo og tricycle nga colorum meaning wala license or wala permit to transport passengers or overloaded and beyond the boundary of its travel. Kung simbako kung naa aksidente kay dili mohatag ang insurance sa tricycle or personal insurance,” he said.

He said all the city can do for now is warn commuters while it is looking for tricycles with fake franchises.

Calipayan said that out of the allowed 2,000 franchises in the city, 1,485 renewed their franchises in October 2011 while 515 are vacant.

Lady Sparrow Belarmino, tricycle board secretary said the renewal of franchises happens every three years.

She said the franchise owner will pay P570 for the renewal.

Penalty every year is fixed at P1,120 for expired franchise. (FREEMAN)