The local government is considering revisiting the city’s tricycle ordinance to make it more adaptive to the changing times and allow for a more flexible manner of resolving complaints.

Assistant city administrator Cesar Raz admitted during last Tuesday’s press briefing at City Hall that City Ordinance No. 185, otherwise known as the Motorized Tricycle Franchising Ordinance, as amended by City Ordinance No. 494, is ripe for another revisit.

“I think it is time for us to revisit el ordinance,” the city official told members of the local media.

Among the possible changes to be introduced are the manner of conducting confrontations between complaining passengers and erring drivers as well as the possibility of making the fare matrix reflective of the current economic milieu.

Overcharging is one of the grounds for the cancellation of a tricycle franchise under the ordinance but due process must be observed before such cancellation can be effected.

“Chene se cuanto times before quita con el franchise,” Raz explained.

Another challenge in going after erring tricycle drivers is the failure of complaining passengers to appear personally before the City Legal Office for the resolution of their complaints. Due process dictates that drivers complained of are given an opportunity to explain themselves and to confront their complainants.

“Ta estudia tamen el City Legal [Office] how to change el manner. Ahora ta sigi kila con el ordinance,” he said.

As for the reasons why some drivers continue to charge more than what is allowed under the city’s fare matrix, the city official said that it could be due to the rising fuel prices and other factors.

“Nevertheless, what is in the ordinance must be followed,” Raz emphasized. (Claudine Uniana)