THE Cebu City Legal Office (CLO) would draft guidelines to prohibit pedicabs and tricycles on national highways.
This, following the memorandum issued by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) requiring local government units (LGUs) to review and revisit existing ordinances on tricycles and pedicabs.
Citing Republic Act (RA) 4136 or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code and the DILG’s memorandum, City Attorney Rey Gealon said these guidelines would help ensure the safety of motorists and pedestrians.
“These are standing laws and regulations, the objective of which is nothing more than to keep both motorists and pedestrians safe. Allowing these vehicles on main thoroughfares, especially highways, poses tremendous hazard to life and limb,” said Gealon.
The guidelines will be used for the implementation, he said.
The CLO was tasked by Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella to review the existing City’s ordinance regulating such vehicles.
Labella explained that the CLO will then make a recommendation to the Cebu City Council for necessary amendment of the existing ordinances.
Labella admitted that when it comes to tricycles and pedicabs, it is the duty of the City to regulate them.
Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) operations chief Erwin Navales said they have started clearing barangay roads following the mandate of the DILG.
There had been more than 100 tricycles, pedicabs and e-bikes towed since they started their operation on the third week of January, said Navales.
SunStar Cebu tried to get the complete number of tricycles and pedicabs plying the roads of Cebu City, but the figures were not available as of press time.
He explained that barangay officials have to send them prior requests before they can conduct the road clearing.
He also urged barangay officials to send their requests as early as possible to avoid the influx of requests as the deadline draws near.
The LGUs are given 90 days to comply.
In 2007, the DILG issued a memorandum that no tricycle or pedicab should operate on national highways used by four-wheel vehicles greater than four tons and where normal speed exceeds 40 kilometer per hour.
However, it stated the Council may allow this if there is no alternative route.
In 2009, the City enacted an ordinance authored by former councilor Jose Daluz III regulating the operation of tricycles.
Under the ordinance, tricycles are limited to selected roads in the city and tricycle operators are not allowed to own more than two units.
The barangays where most of the tricycles are operating are in Barangays Punta Princesa, Tisa, Labangon, Basak-Cabreros, Pardo, Bulacao, Inayawan and Buhisan, based on previous reports. (JJL)