Vico Sotto asks nat'l gov't to exempt tricycles from COVID-19 ban

Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto on Wednesday asked national officials to exempt tricycles from the ban on public transportation amid the enhanced community quarantine implemented in Luzon to stop the spread of COVID-19.

"Sana makita po ng mga ginagalang nating lider na may perspektibo kami sa local government unit na maaaring 'di nakikita mula sa mas mataas,” Sotto said in a Facebook post on Wednesday.

"I am not yet even considering the social and economic effects of prohibiting tricycles. We are talking about the potential damage to public health and a possible loss of lives.”

Sotto had allowed tricycles in the city to ply their routes to ferry health workers and emergency patients to hospitals in Pasig.

He said tricycle trips would be subject to protocols set by local authorities such as limiting the number of passengers per vehicle consistent with social distancing rules.

Malacanang, however, reiterated that tricycles were among the modes of public transportation banned during the enhanced community quarantine.

“All public transportation are not allowed to operate such as tricycles, pedicabs, taxis, Grab, jeepneys, buses, including MRT and LRT,” Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said in a televised briefing.

Medical and non-medical hospital workers, as well as those in the vital services sector, are exempted from the travel restrictions under the community quarantine but getting to work remained a challenge as the operations of the mass transportation system had been suspended. -NB, GMA News