ISLAND Garden City of Samal (Igacos) Mayor Al David Uy said the increase in transportation fares of tricycles and pedicabs in the city has legal basis.
Under the Samal City Ordinance No. 182, series of 2011, an increase of P1 will also be implemented per kilometer exceeding the minimum kilometer distance.
Operators who will not follow the new fare matrix will be penalized with P1,000 to P3,000 or cancellation of their permit to operate.
Uy said in a radio interview that the City Council passed the ordinance quite some time now, however, they were only able to implement it since it was only recently approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Davao del Norte after the latter declared recess for the incoming election.
He also emphasized that the fare increase underwent proper deliberation.
"Niagi na na'g proseso, naa ta'y mga public hearings na gihimo (This underwent a thorough process. We conducted public hearings) down to the barangay level," the mayor said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.
The City Government recently released the updated fare matrix, which would depend on the oil price.
"Gihimo nato ang fare matrix tungod sa sagunson ang pagsaka sa krudo ug gasolina," Uy said.
(We published the updated fare matrix due to the continuous oil price hike of crude and gasoline.)
The fare matrix was also released to protect the riders against drivers who will be overcharging.
Operators who will not follow the new fare matrix will be penalized with P1,000 to P3,000 or cancellation of their permit to operate.
The mayor advised the riding public to immediately report to his office erring drivers who will not abide by the fare matrix.
Meanwhile, Uy said motorcycle taxis or habal-habal are not covered in the new fare matrix since they are not recognized by the ordinance as legal public transportation.
Currently, the price of gasoline per liter ranges from P71 to P75, so the minimum fare is P17.