Transport Group Dismayed Over ‘Snail-Pace’ Legislation

Written by Pagadian Express, on 08-05-2008 11:50

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Tags : habal-habal, dodong duterte, federation of tricycle drivers and operators, gavenia, ramil bangues, rmn-dxpr, ra 4136

THE LOCAL TRANSPORT GROUP in the City of Pagadian has expressed disappointment and dismay over the so-called “snail-pace” legislation by the city council in its attempt to address the problem of ‘habal-habal’.

Speaking over the radio, Dodong Duterte who chairs the Federation of Tricycle Drivers and Operators in Pagadian City said that the approval of the draft ordinance authored by City Councilor Gavenia should have been approved even during the last week’s session to protect the interest of tricycle drivers complaining against the rampant ‘habal-habal’ operation in the city proper.

Gavenia who heads the Committee on Transportation and Communication in the Sangguniang Panlungsod has proposed an ordinance regulating the operation of motorcycles (habal-habal) ferrying passengers around the city. Among others, said ordinance provides for the granting of a franchise but instead of approving it on the second reading it was thrown back to the council’s committee on Ways and Means for further study.

“It has been a long over-due legislation and the council should have acted on it promptly since the presence of habal-habal that are competing with legitimate tricycles is increasing and intolerable already”, Duterte said over “Kapihan 603” RMN Pagadian’s weekly radio program, hosted by Ramil “Amid” Bangues.

Duterte also observed that some lawmakers are trying to play safe and tend to hide their real stand on the habal-habal issue for fear of a negative repercussion on their political career.

He challenged the city council members to be decisive in their action whether they are for the approval or disapproval of the proposal of Gavenia to regulate habal-habal operation.

“Lihay man gud kaayo ang atong mga konsehal sa maong isyu, maglibog ka unsa ang ilang baruganan kalabut sa habal-habal”, Duterte lamented.

It was learned that as chairman of the Committee on Laws in the Sanggunian, City Councilor Noli Garcia has expressed opposition to Gavenia’s proposal citing the RA 4136 the Traffic Code of the Philippines that prohibits motorcycle from ferrying passengers.

Garcia allegedly pointed out that the city council can be sued administratively for approving an ordinance that is inconsistent with National Laws. He was also heard saying that another strategy should be adapted to address the problem of habal-habal.

It was also gathered that a joint session with the executive department will be called to discuss the problem in order to come up with a move that is consistent with the national law on the matter.

Meanwhile, City Councilor Glavys Gavenia said he is amenable to the proposal of Garcia to dialogue with Mayor Co to iron out everything.

Gavenia also said he is against the total stoppage of habal-habal but he is batting for its regulation to be fair to the habal-habal drivers as well as to the tricycle drivers who are paying to the city government for the issuance of their franchise.