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| Laoag councilors, led by ex-officio member and transportation committee chair Mikee Fariñas holds a public hearing on the proposed fare increase. |
Staff reporter
Laoag City—Tricycle drivers in this city is asking for a PHP4 basic fare hike, which will hike rates here to PHP15 from the current PHP11 basic fare.
Aside from the PHP4 fare increase, they are also asking to increase the rate after the first kilometer to PHP2 per kilometer. The current rate is pegged at PHP1 per kilometer after the first kilometer.
Ex-0fficio council member Mary Michelle Louise “Mikee” V. Fariñas, the council’s transportation committee chairperson, however said the council will still study the matter.
She also warned tricycle drivers and operators to refrain from charging PHP15 as basic fare. She stressed that the ordinance that raised tricycle fares to PHP11 remains unamended.
Ms. Fariñas added that ordinance that will amend the old fare ordinance is still on its first reading.
The committee held public hearing on March 7, 2018, where tricycle drivers and operators, as well as calesa drivers attended. Organizers also claimed that representatives from the riding public also attended.
She also disclosed that their main concern is the PHP2 increase for the succeeding distance after the first kilometer.
“Ta ngamin adu dagiti traysikelan nga agsingir iti nangin-ngina ngem iti naiyetnag iti linteg aglalon medyo adayo bassit iti papanan ket saan da met a suruten tay ordinansan a mangnayon iti P2 kada kilometron no di ket arkilan iti pamayan da ket agsingir dan tay kaykayat da,” a riding public representative said.
“Ket dagita kuma iti adalen a nasayaat dagiti agtuturay ta saan laeng a dagiti traysikelan iti masursurot no ket dakami kuma met nga agluglugan ta uray asideg lang iti papanan mi ket agbayad kam met iti hushusto. Agpanayon da pay wennu agpadoble da iti plete no maymaysa ka nga aglugan,” the commuters added.
To remedy this, Ms. Fariñas asked for time to study all recommendations.
“Ket ita mai-define to dagidiay point-to-point distances appo tapnu ammu metla tao no manu iti bayadan da kas kuman aggapu da ditoy city hall no mapan da idiay public market, addan to defined number of kilometers plus rate to didiay a distance, appo,” Ms. Fariñas said.
The city government last increased fare rates in 2011 through city ordinance No. 2011-077, which raised basic fare rates from PHP8 to PHP11.
