House panel approves Magna Carta for Tricycle Drivers and Operators
The House of Representatives Committee on Transportation, under its chairman Samar 1st District Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento, approved the Magna Carta for Tricycle Drivers and Operators on Wednesday, October 13.
The House substitute bill consolidates House bills 2333, 2963, 3281, 4005, 4197, 4212, 4653, 5329 and 5495, and House Resolution 748 and will be entitled “An Act providing for a Magna Carta of Tricycles Drivers and Operators institutionalizing mechanisms for its implementation, regulation and for other.purposes.
The said measures were filed by Reps. Evelina Escudero, Jumel Anthony Espino, Joy Myra Tambunting, Tyrone Agabas, Alfred Vargas, Maricel Panotes, Diego Ty, Victor Yap, Luis Raymund Villafuerte, Joey Salceda and Rosanna Vergara.
The measure, an output of the technical working group led by its chairman Batanes Rep. Ciriaco Gato, Jr., is a product of a thorough and well-represented discussion from stakeholders in the transportation sector.
Unanimously adopted and approved by the transportation committee, the bill aims to protect the rights of tricycle sector members.
"The bill provides a comprehensive mechanism not only to touch the aspects of tricycle operation but also to define the rights of members of the tricycle sector and the manner of ensuring and protecting these rights," said Vergara, the Nueva Ecija 3rd District congresswoman, who sponsored the bill.
Salient features of the said measure are it provides uniform franchising requirement and procedure, operational parameters, and traffic rules and regulations for tricycle operation; uniform technical requirement of tricycle units that may be allowed to operate, and the establishment of one-stop shop tricycle operation permitting process in all local government units.
It also defines the members of the tricycle sector including their rights; mandates government agencies, offices and LGUs to provide support to the tricycle sector; mandatory membership in the SSS and PhilHealth; imposing penalties not only on drivers who violate terms of the franchise and traffic rules but also on those who violate the rights of tricycle sector members; and appropriating an initial fund of P1 billion for the tricycle sector. (Melvin Sarangay)