THE Zamboanga City Government has deployed some 50 dispatchers to major places of convergence of Zamboanga Peninsula Regional Athletic Association (ZPRAA) Qualifying Meet delegates to avert instances of overcharging by tricycle and taxi drivers, as the city plays host to this year’s regional sporting event.
The ZPRAA 2024 reeled off Sunday, April 21, and is set to end on Saturday, April 27. It will be participated in by more or less 10,000 student-athletes and technical officials from eight delegations all over the Zamboanga Peninsula.
Through the directive of Mayor John Dalipe, the City Administrator's Office initiated the move with the intention of helping solve commuters’ problems with price manipulation or overcharging by drivers of tricycles and similar public conveyances.
Lawyer Wendell Sotto, city administrator, said Sunday, April 21, specifically, the dispatchers are tasked to issue city government dispatch slips and mediate as passengers and drivers haggle or negotiate fare rates.
Sotto said the passenger and the driver, after filling in the necessary information on the dispatch slip, they must agree as to what a tricycle or taxi ride into town should really cost, based on the Guide for passengers on tricycle fares per City Ordinance 416 or the Fare Matrix Ordinance of the City.
He said the fare dispatchers are posted at the Joaquin F. Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex, malls, billeting and accommodation areas, sports venues, airport, port, Integrated Bus terminal, other convergence sites for ZPRAA visitors. (SunStar Zamboanga)