The Tagbilaran City Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) has appealed to Governor Arthur Yap to allow members of one family to ride a single public tricycle.
The SP in its regular session on Friday passed a resolution urging Yap to direct the Bohol Inter-Agency Task Force (BIATF), which he chairs, to allow two persons belonging to the same family and living in one household to occupy a single tricycle’s cab at a time.
Since May, when Bohol was still under General Community Quarantine (GCQ), the BIATF limited tricycles to only take in one passenger at a time as part of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Bohol however has been under Modified GCQ, the least restrictive quarantine level, since July.
Councilor Ondoy Borja, in the resolution he authored, stated that tricycle operators in the city have sought the SP’s assistance in easing capacity restrictions for the city’s most common transportation mode.
Borja said the restrictions have “inadvertently resulted to the significant decrease of their [trcicycle operators] income.”
The councilor explained that the prevailing policy has also made it difficult for families to travel as they have to take separate tricycles amid the limited number of public utility vehicles in the city due to the pandemic.
“Considering that physical distancing is highly imporbable among family members living in one household, allowing them to ride the tricycle cab together would be more practical and convenient,” Borja said.
The lawmaker also found it appropriate to have the restrictions eased in the province considering that the National IATF has allowed the operation of motorcycle taxis and tricycle backriding to help alleviate inadequate transportation options.
Earlier, City Traffic Management Bureau (CTMO) chief Tony Samante clarified that the one-passenger protocol for tricycles was still in effect amid complaints from tricycle operators against the measure.
Samante said that the local government unit could issue a new order allowing tricycles to take in more passengers considering that it is the one issuing franchises to trike units.
However, Tagbilaran City Administrator Cathy Torremocha said that the LGU will continue to follow protocols set by the BIATF. (AD)