PRESIDENTIAL Communications Secretary Martin Andanar on Thursday morning, March 5, said the local government units should be the one to “unilaterally decide” if tricylces, pedicabs, and tricabs or “bao-baos” can pass through the national highway.
Andanar, who was in Cagayan de Oro City last Thursday, said he does not know whether tricyles, tricabs or “bao-baos” are banned as he have to look into whether there’s a city resolution that bans the said units from passing through the national highway.
“From what I understand is gihatag naman sa DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) ang power sa local government kung pwede ipadayon ang usa ka byahe sa tricycle kay usahay man gud dili makaagi sa highway, usahay paagion,” Andanar said.
“So karon para dili maglibog atong huna-huna, gihatag na ang poder sa local government units para sila nay mag decide kung kining tricycle ba pwede paagion sa highway o dili,” he added.
In February, DILG Secretary Eduardo Año ordered local chief executives to strictly implement the ban on tricycles, pedicabs and motorized pedicabs on national highways.
Since the implementation of the tricycle ban in Cagayan de Oro City, the road clearing operation team, which includes the Regulatory Compliance Board, the Roads and Traffic Administration, Cagayan de Oro City Police Office, among others, was able to apprehend more than 100 tricycle, tricab and bao-baos drivers that were caught traversing the national highway.
The ban also caused several unserved commuters to complain about the lack of transportation.
Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB)-Northern Mindanao director Aminoden Guro, earlier this week, said that barangay chairman of the affected barangays should create a petition or request addressed to the City Government to allow PUJs to operate on those areas with unserved commuters.
“Because it’s a case-to-case basis, mao na nga the LGU will now be able to unilaterally decide kung pwede ba paagion o dili [ang mga tricycle],” Andanar said.