‘Rela’ drivers decry

Local `rela' drivers dispute revival of old ordinance that will affect their earnings

Atransport group in Cagayan de Oro City is making rounds of consultation among the associations of motorela drivers and operators to come up with a unified petition urging the city council to amend or repeal a supposed decades old ordinance that prohibits passengers to occupy the motorela’s front seats.

The Solidarity of Transport Alliance in Northern Mindanao-Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Starex-Piston) said motorela drivers have been complaining against members of the Roads and Traffic Administration (RTA) that implements the ‘anti-people’ policy.

Starex-Piston secretary general Ringo Lago cited a complain of a motorela driver who was charged for overloading because he allowed a passenger to sit beside him even though he only had four passengers.

“Ato kining gikondena. Mga 70’s or 80’s pa kini nga ordinance busa gusto nato kini nga ma-amenda or ma-scrap (We condemn this. Accordingly, this ordinance was passed in the 70’s or 80’s that is why we want this amended or scrapped),”Lago said, adding that they could not find a copy of said ordinance.

Lago said drivers have been rejoicing since the city government raised the motorela fare by P1, but their joy turned into sorrow because of the implementation of an old ordinance.

“Subo kaayo ang mga drivers kay naa na untay piso nga dugang plitehan nga maayo na lang makadugang sa kinitaan apan ang nahitabo mas nabawasan na hinoon kinitaan nila karon tungod sa paglimit sa ilang pasahero (The drivers were saddened because the P1 fare increase could have increased their income but their plight worsened because of the said ordinance that limits their passengers) ,”Lago added.

He said this burdens the drivers who have been coping up with the unabated price increases of basic commodities and services.

Lago said the RTA should have conducted a consultation to inform the drivers of the ordinance.

“Kung seryoso ang RTA nga ipatuman ang ordinance naghimo unta sila og consultation. Ang problema kay kung ganahan sila modakop ayha ra pud sila mangdakop (If the RTA is serious in implementing the ordinance, there should have been a consultation to inform the drivers. The problem now is some enforcers only implement the law whenever they like),”Lago said.

The group is now arranging the schedule of the series of consultations among the motorela associations in barangays Macasandig, Carmen, Consolacion, Camaman-an, and Agora, Lapasan even as they urged drivers to attend the assembly.

Lago said the unified petition will likely come out on the first week of October and will then be passed to the committee on the public utilities in the city council.

“Depende na kana sa konseho kung ila ba i-amenda or i-scrap (It now depends upon the city council whether they amend or scrap it),”Lago said.