By Felipe V. Celino
ROXAS CITY, Capiz – “There’s no politics behind the renewal of tricycle franchise under my administration”.
This was the strong statement of Roxas City Mayor Ronnie Dadivas to the media in a press conference he called on Wednesday last week.
Dadivas said some quarters are trying to politicize the issuance of Executive Order No. 07, series of 2021 (An Order Prescribing Rules and Policies on Franchising, Regulation, and Operation of Tricycle for Hire in the City of Roxas City).
He said the issues thrown against him were “all baseless and purely gossip out to mislead the people of Roxas City.”
The mayor said that before he issued EO 07, he called a ”consultative meeting” with the presidents of the different Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association (TODA).
This was confirmed by the five TODA presidents Pol Juralbar of URCCTODA, Wilson Devela-RCTODA, Bernard Abasiar-MRTA, Leonardo Bade- ARCTODA and Eugene Delmoro of AKTODA who all favored the executive order.
Dadivas said they discovered during the consultative meeting that an individual was issued 20 tricycle franchises while others were not residents of Roxas City.
Other franchise holders sold their privileges to other individuals.
Because of this, Dadivas said he will strictly monitor the renewal of franchises and will investigate individuals with multiple franchises and non-residents who were issued the same.
The mayor said residents of Roxas City who want to have their tricycle franchises will get the opportunity.
“I want to give a chance to those colorum tricycles to operate legally,” he added.
The mayor clarified that regular employees of the provincial and city governments, national government agencies including the Philippine National Police are not allowed to avail of the franchise because they have regular salaries, aside from the bonuses they get every year.
Dadivas clarified that the amount needed for the renewal of franchise is merely P785 for a three-year franchise. It includes the occupational tax and other permits in which, according to the mayor, is the lowest in Panay island.
‘GIVE EMPLOYEES TIME’
Meanwhile, Roxas City Councilor Moreno Gonzaga asked Dadivas to give regular employees time before revoking their tricycle franchises.
Gonzaga said a moratorium should be imposed so that employees can recover their investments.
He said he opposed the move to cancel the franchises of city hall workers as they only have meager salaries.
“It’s untimely to revoke the franchise as we are still in the pandemic,” he stressed.
Gonzaga said that there is a process before revoking the franchise because granting such privilege is based on the city ordinance, not on an executive order.
