BALITAAN SA TINAPAYAN RELAUNCHED — Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna graces the relaunching of Balitaan sa Tinapayan at the corner of Dapitan and Don Quijote Streets in Sampaloc Manila. The Balitaan is a weekly media forum in Manila where hot issues or controversies are being discussed. Vice Mayor Yul Servo also graced the event as guest of honor. Photo by JON-JON C. REYES
VM Servo urges trike drivers to make livelihood legit
MANILA Vice Mayor John Marvin “Yul Servo” Nieto urged drivers of motorized tricycle plying the streets of Manila as public transport to apply for franchise and make their livelihood legal.
During the re-launching of a news forum “Balitaan sa Tinapayan” held at the Tinapayan Festival Bakeshoppe located at the corner of Dapitan and Don Quijote Streets in Sampaloc, Servo said he would ask Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan to give more time to the members of Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association (TODA) to prepare their documents in order to acquire the necessary franchise, along with their driver’s license.
Vice Mayor Yul Servo admitted that currently, a large number of stubborn tricycle drivers are plying their routes and constantly violating traffic rules just to get more passengers.
“Kasi kapag ako nag-iikot ng Maynila, napupuna ko yung mga tricycle natin minsan walang plaka, red ang traffic light, go pa rin sa kanila, no left turn, kakaliwa pa rin at karamihan sa kanila, mga wala pang lisensya,” Vice Mayor Yul Servo said.
Because of this, the vice mayor called on tricycle drivers to spend more time in preparing the necessary documents for their franchise and driver’s license since this is their source of living.
“Kapag pinagkakakitaan mo, dapat pangalagaan mo at me lisensya ka. Kaso yung ibang kababayan natin ayaw ng dumaan sa tama at mahabang proseso, minsan shino-short cut, mas gustong pumatol sa bogus license, lalu na ngayon, bago ka mabigyan ng lisensya mag-aaral ka muna,” the vice mayor said.
“Kaya mga kababayan, mga batang Maynila, huwag na kayong pasaway. Kung kailangan ninyong kumuha ng lisensya, kumuha na kayo, kung kailangan ninyong magpa-rehistro ng inyong tricycle, iparehistro nyo para hindi kayo nagagambala kasi isang araw lang na hindi kayo makapagtrabaho, ang laking perwisyo na sa inyo yun,” he added.
He explained that there are legal tricycle drivers who were able to send their children to college and later become a successful doctor or architect while others just inherited their job as tricycle driver.
“Yung mga kababayan natin na nasa ganoong sitwasyon, dapat i-improve din natin ang pamilya natin para sa atin ding mga anak. Kasi meron naman tayong libreng eskuwelahan, meron tayong Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) meron tayong Universidad De Manila (UDM), me 100-plus tayong paaralan para sa elementarya at high school,” the vice mayor said.
