DAGUPAN CITY – Drivers of tricycles with legitimate franchises and decal stickers fully support the city’s Oplan Colorum, an intensified campaign against colorum tricycles plying the city’s main thoroughfares.
The support was given by the officers and members of the Federation of Accredited Tricycle Association in Dagupan City (FATODAG) and the City Federation of Tricycle Drivers and Operators (CITYFED) who met with Public Order and Safety Office (POSO) Chief Carlito Ocampo on September 1.
Manuel Lingwayon, a member of the FATODAG, admitted that their incomes have increased by 50 percent when the streets were cleared from colorum tricycles and that traffic congestion was reduced by 20 percent.
He disclosed that they have long been asking the city to clear all the streets of colorum tricycles to be fair with owners of legitimate tricycles who were issued their corresponding franchises and decal stickers.
“Kung dati umaabot lang kami sa P200 na kita, ngayon po ay umaabot na kami from P300 to P350 na kita bawat araw,” said Lingwayon.
Meanwhile, Jesus Buenavides, CITYFED president, said that most of the colorum tricycle drivers are abusive to their passengers and also charge them more than the regular fare being implemented in the city.
“Kaya tuloy, pati kami nadadamay sa kanilang kalokohan,” said Buenavides.
Since August 22, at least 130 colorum tricycles have been impounded by the POSO.
“Ito ay magpapatuloy ma-pa umaga o gabi para maprotektahan natin ang mga tricycle drivers na tumutupad sa batas at upang masiguro na rin maging ang kaligtasan ng mga pasahero,” said Ocampo.
Ocampo encouraged legitimate tricycle drivers to report colorum tricycles operating in the city including traffic enforcers who are abusive of their duties, especially those involved in “kotong”. (Joseph C. Bacani/CIO/Sept. 4, 2017)