Tricycles can ply nat’l roads in absence of alternative routes, House panel clarifies

The House Committee on Metro Manila Development on Wednesday clarified that tricycles may be allowed to ply national highways if there are no alternative routes for them to use.

The panel's clarification came after some groups of tricycle operators and drivers complained that they have not been permitted to use national roads, while other two-wheeled vehicles can.

"We have established na yung tricycles, on certain conditions, ay maaaring dumaan sa national roads," House panel chair Winston Castelo said during the committee hearing.

"May mga batas na nagsasabi na bawal ang tricycle sa national roads. However, kung ang lugar naman ay walang alternate routes, maaaring daanan ng tricycle," he added.

During the meeting, Charlie Mangune, president of the Batasan Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association, questioned why two-wheeled vehicles like bicycles and motorcycles were given their own lanes in major thoroughfares, while three-wheeled tricycles were not.

"Ano ba ang pagkakaiba ng tricycle at ng motorcycle at bicycle? Bakit ang bicycle, nilagyan ng bicycle lane ang mga highways. Ang mga highways kagaya ng EDSA at Commonwealth ay nilagyan ng motorcycle lane?" he said.

"Dalawang gulong lang ang bicycle at motorcycle. Isang tao lang ang nakasakay. Ang tricycle ay tatlong gulong, limang tao ang nakasakay," he added.

Lawyer Aileen Lizada, spokesperson for the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, explained that it is because tricycles are used only for the first kilometer and last kilometer of a trip.

"Paglabas mo ng bahay mo, sasakay ka ng tricycle, ihahatid ka kung saan yung jeep. At pag-uwi mo, bababa ka sa jeep at babalik ka sa bahay mo [ng tricycle]," she said.

"Yun ang essence and service ng tricycle, doon sa mga areas na hindi napapasukan ng mga jeepney, sidestreets, eskinita," she added.

Lizada stressed that there should be "inter-operability" in using major thoroughfares, where not all vehicles could use a highway all at the same time.

"Hindi pwedeng lahat magsabayan. May kanya-kanyang role, kanya-kanyang serbisyo. Huwag nating paghalu-haluin yung denominations natin," she said.

Disallowing tricycles from using national highways is not without basis, Lizada noted, as tis is stated in Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Memorandum Circular No. 2007-01 dated January 2, 2007.

The circular reads: "For safety reasons, no tricycle or pedicab should operate on national highways utilized by four-wheeled vehicles greater than 4 tons and where normal speed exceeds 40 kilometers per hour.

"However, the Sangguniang Panlungsod or Sangguniang Pambayan may allow if there is no alternative route," it added.

Castelo said tricycles may be allowed to use national roads if there is approval from the Tricycle Regulatory Unit.

"Merong ide-designate [na lane], yung innermost lane and single-file lang. Walang overtaking dahil baka makain yung national road," he said.

Meanwhile, the House panel also proposed for a tricycle passenger insurance without a third-party liability.

"Sa proposal, i-cancel na natin ang third-party liability sapagkat kapag meron nang passenger insurance, bayad na rin doon ang third party liability," Castelo said.

Castelo said the panel will work to have a P400-passenger insurance per year which will be paid by the tricycle operator.

In Quezon City, however, Castelo said he will push that the city government pays for the passenger insurance for all tricycle units.

A technical working group has also been created to discuss other issues involving tricycles. — RSJ, GMA News