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Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Group joins campaign to repeal tricycle ordinance
By Rapunzel P. Caspe
Silliman University Intern
THE provincial chapter of the militant youth group Anak Bayan has joined the call of tricycle drivers in Dumaguete City to repeal City Ordinance No. 88.
The city ordinance raised the mayor's fee from P27 to P400 and the franchise fee from P460 to P860 of tricycle drivers and operators. Its trust fund provision allows drivers to borrow money for personal benefit including medical care and burials and to rehabilitate their tricycles.
Anak Bayan collected 500 signatures from students taking summer classes in Silliman University, Negros Oriental State University (Norsu), and St. Paul University as of May 9.
"If the council would continue to implement the ordinance, the pedicab drivers would be forced to increase the minimum fare," said Anak Bayan provincial chairman Springzeal Bacarro during a press conference held at Benigno Aquino Freedom Park Wednesday morning.
Bacarro, a mass communication student at Silliman University, said the ordinance, unless repealed, would greatly affect commuters because the pedicab is the city's primary means of transportation.
Leaders of pedicab groups, present at the press conference, explained that the students would be the most affected sector.
Anak Bayan targeted to collect 1,000 signatures, which they planned to present during the public hearing on a proposed amendment ordinance and another measure to repeal the existing one.
The hearing was to be held at the multi-purpose center of Dumaguete City High School in Barangay Calindagan Thursday afternoon.
"We fear the pedicab's minimum fare would increase again because of the continuing escalation in the price of oil," Jello Cubello, a student of Silliman University said.
Norsu student James Philip Sojor described the ordinance as "unjustifiable."
"My studies were affected instead of riding from home to school; I'm now forced to walk because I could no longer afford the double-ride fare. Sometimes I have no choice but to borrow money from my classmates," said Jan-Jan Collado, a second year student of Negros Oriental High School from Canday-ong in Barangay Calindagan.
In the same press conference Anak Bayan reiterated it would continue its struggle with other sectors to oust President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo.
"Arroyo's deferred distribution of subsidy is to blame for the adversity facing the people and local government units which are forced to look for fund sources, one of which is increasing the permit and franchise fees of the pedicab driver," Bacarro said.
(May 14, 2006 issue)
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