TO legitimize pedicabs as a mode of transportation in Manila, the city government under Mayor Joseph Estrada on Wednesday started the mass registration of thousands of “padyak” plying the city streets. Estrada said the pedicab registration campaign has two objectives: get rid of colorum and improve the livelihood of duly licensed pedicab drivers in Manila.
“We know that these lowly pedicab drivers only want to earn a living, so we have thought of helping them by having their vehicles registered and given transport franchises, free of charge,” Estrada said.
In addition, Estrada said the legally licensed pedicab drivers and operators will get to avail of the wide array of free services and programs being offered by the city government, such as free hospitalization and healthcare and capital assistance, among others.
This is the first time the city government has embarked on a pedicab registration program, according to Julius Galang, chief of the Manila Tricycle Regulatory Office.
The registration started last Friday, Aug. 5, in District 5 where 1,200 pedicab drivers were given identification cards and license plates; the annual permit fee of P425 and the cost of license plate, P300, have been waived, Galang said.
“We’ll be doing this by district,” Galang pointed out.
“By registering them, we acknowledge that they are legitimate part of the transport industry,” he also said. “So all those not included here we will consider these colorum.”
There are about 15,000 pedicabs, most of which are unlicensed, that operate in Manila, based on MTRO’s estimates.
The duly-registered and licensed pedicab drivers will also undergo a seminar on safe driving and traffic rules and regulations, and will also be familiarized with the city’s policies about tricycle and pedicab operations, Galang said.
“Aside from IDs and license plates, the pedicab drivers will also be asked to wear proper attire while at work to distinguish them from the colorum ones. Moreover, we will teach them proper decorum when interacting with their passengers,” Galang added.
After the registration period, the MTRO chief warned they will start apprehending unregistered pedicabs in the streets.
Under City Ordinance No. 8921 that established the guidelines for the operation and registration of tricycles and pedicabs in Manila, first-time colorum violators are fined P2,000 plus one-day impounding.
Second- and third-time offenders face a fine of P3,000 and P4,000, respectively, and impounding of five days, which entails an additional fine of P300 per day.
