Mayor Ogena: Trikes odd-even scheme likely to continue beyond quarantine
While the city temporarily reduces tricycle operations during the Modified General Community Quarantine, City Mayor Eliordo U. Ogena perceived the benefit of the odd-even scheme as he claims that drivers took home twice as much income during the implementation.
“Karon, nakit-an ko, nadiskubre ko, based on my interview sa mga nagabiyahe nga tricycle—nga ang odd and even scheme gali, yung income nila mas nagdako daw… I was surprised with the discovery ha, tung natunga ang tricycle, maskin may mga limitasyon sa movement, nagdako ang income,” the city mayor said in a press conference addressing his Executive Order No. 48.
“Now sa tan-aw ko, maski matapos pa ang COVID, [the] odd and even scheme will probably continue,” he added.
The city mayor cited several reasons for the proposed continuation of the scheme: to decongest traffic in the main roads and highways, and tricycle drivers can potentially increase their income through diversifying their income source in vacant days with the help of livelihood projects that the local government will offer.
This aspect is yet to be studied if viable with the Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP) long prepared by the city in accordance with the DILG-DOTr Joint Memorandum Circular No.001, s. 2017 through the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB).