GENERAL SANTOS CITY (November 27) — The provincial government here has issued an prohibiting the operations of pedicab and tricycles on national highways.
Yesterday, Fuentes said she issued an order on November 22, to the 11 city and municipal mayors of her province based on the DILG pronouncement, banning tricycles to ply along national highways.
A DILG memorandum reiterated the ban stating, “For safety reasons, no tricycle or pedicab should operate on national highways utilized by four-wheel vehicles greater than four tons and where normal speed exceeds 40 kilometers per hour.”
Fuentes reminded the local chief executives to “take this seriously since there is an administrative and criminal case that comes along with it.”
But some mayors aired their concerns about the order, they claim that they cannot fully implement it because tricycle is the only means of transport in their areas and, they cannot avoid traversing the national highways.
To this, Fuentes said they will send a letter to the DILG to express the concerns of the municipal mayors.
Fuentes suggested though, “Find an alternate route” saying she has to comply with the order.
On November 14, a family of five was killed in Digos City, Davao del Sur, when the tricycle they were riding collided with a bus along the national highway connecting the Davao-South Cotabato road.
Until now, tricycles are still plying the national highways in many areas of the country. Many local government units refuse implement the DILG order.–Jiann A. Padillo/NewsLine
