SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur (MindaNews / 5 March) — The municipal government has intensified its crackdown on colorum tricycles and tri-wheelers operating without a franchise, requiring all passenger vehicles to secure a legitimate permit, Mayor Grace Carmel Paredes-Bravo announced. The enforcement, based on Ordinance No. 192-2020, took effect on March 1, with traffic enforcers issuing P1,500 citation tickets to violators. The regulation applies not only to tricycles but also to tri-wheelers, the India-made Bajaj locally known as “Bao-bao.” “We are doing this for the safety of commuters,” Paredes-Bravo emphasized. “Passengers cannot claim insurance in case of accidents if they are riding a colorum unit.” Municipal government records show that of the 1,500 registered tricycles and tri-wheelers in San Francisco, only 400 renewed their franchise in 2024, leaving a significant number operating illegally. Some operators reportedly refuse to secure a franchise, arguing that many unregistered vehicles continue to ply the roads. In 2023, the local government uncovered 170 cases of fake tricycle franchises, now under investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). Paredes-Bravo assured the public that the ordinance has long been in place and will now be fully enforced to regulate public transport and protect passengers. She recently met with leaders of tricycle and tri-wheeler associations, who agreed that all passenger units must have a franchise to operate legally in San Francisco. To streamline routes, the mayor clarified that passengers traveling within the municipality will not experience “cutting trips” since zoning rules are not enforced. However, only 50 authorized tricycles from San Francisco and 50 from Prosperidad will be allowed to travel between the two towns, given the presence of hospitals and government offices in Patin-ay, Prosperidad. Barangay Patin-ay is the venue of the provincial capitol, national government offices and the DO Plaza Memorial Hospital. “For those from other areas, only LTFRB-authorized vehicles or those with municipal franchises will be permitted to operate,” she explained. Paredes-Bravo thanked compliant tricycle operators and assured those with pending applications that the local government is reviewing delinquent accounts and considering an increase in the number of authorized units. “We remain committed to ensuring safe, organized, and legal public transport in San Francisco,” she concluded. (Chris V. Panganiban / MindaNews)
