DAVAO City Councilor Dolce Apostol has encouraged tricycle operators and drivers to renew or apply for permits amid the low number of registered operators and drivers in the city.
Apostol, who chairs the Committee on Franchises and Public Utilities, said during his privilege speech at the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) on Monday, February 3, 2026, that not all public utility tricycles in the city have valid franchises.
The councilor said that the data from the Motorized Vehicle Franchising and Regulatory Division (MVFRD) of the City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) showed that only 991 tricycle operators in the entire city possess a valid Motorized Tricycle Operating Permit (MTOP) and only 1,062 tricycle units have Motorized Tricycle Registration (MTH) as of December 2025, therefore, many of the public tricycle units are operating unregistered.
“The MTOP summary reflects the city government’s ongoing efforts to maintain an orderly, transparent, and responsive tricycle system,” he said.
Apostol later revealed in the Pulong Pulong sa Davao Press Conference that around 5,000 unregistered tricycles are operating in the city. Because of this, the SP’s Committee on Franchises and Public Utilities, in coordination with CTTMO, plans to go to every Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association (Toda) in the city in the next six months to encourage the Toda members and remind their fellow tricycle operators and drivers to renew or apply for an MTOP before operating in the city.
He also stated that the CTTMO is set to process around 5,000 MTOP applied from November 2023 to December 25, 2025. However, as a temporary limitation, CTTMO requires that the applicants for these permits must have already secured an MTH at the CTTMO before applying for an MTOP.
Meanwhile, the CTTMO outlined the requirements for both new and renewal applications of MTOP and franchise. For new applicants, the requirements include proof of ownership such as an Official Receipt and Certificate of Registration, valid government-issued identification, barangay clearance, driver’s license, vehicle photos and sketch, tax-related documents including BIR Form 1701, insurance coverage, inspection report, and official receipt issued by the City Treasurer’s Office.
For MTOP and franchise renewals, applicants must submit similar requirements, including updated registration documents, proof of income tax filing, driver’s license, garage location sketch, insurance coverage, inspection report, and verified petition, among others.
To recall, the Davao City Council has approved amendments to the Comprehensive Traffic Code, extending the validity of MTOP from one to two years to encourage operators and drivers to get registered and renew their permits.
During its third and final reading on February 18, 2025, the council passed City Ordinance No. 0334-12, which amended the Comprehensive Traffic Code. One of the key changes requires MTOP applicants to secure a barangay certification confirming access to a private parking area. If the applicant is not a driver, the same certification must still be provided.
The amendment also adjusted regulatory fees, now requiring the supervision fee to be paid every two years by September 30 and the business permit fee by January 20.
Other revisions are in Section 92, which allows applicants to register up to five units under a single MTOP franchise, which will also be valid for two years.
Additionally, motorcycles with an engine capacity of 100cc and above are now eligible for an MTOP franchise or MTH registration. LEANDRO ISRAEL M. EVANGELIO, NDDU INTERN