DAVAO CITY—MANY people are intrigued while some are wondered why Davao City allows plying of taxis and tricycles even if it is under the state of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). This is a far cry to the issue hurled by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) against Mayor Vico Sotto of Pasig City recently. As reported, the neophyte mayor allegedly allowed tricycles as transportation for frontliners who were stranded due to the lockout as a consequence of the declaration of ECQ in Metro Manila. By the name itself, frontliners are those people whose area of work includes the prevention and response against Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19). Responding to comments from the public including that of senate president Tito Sotto, uncle of the mayor, the NBI later clarified that their office is only inviting the young mayor for clarification of his action.
On April 2, 2020, Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio signed Executive Order No. 23, series of 2020 providing for the guidelines of an ECQ in the city. Section 3, paragraph 7 of the said order explicitly mentions taxi, and tricycle as forms of transportation that are allowed to ply in the city streets. It states, “The forms of transportation (that) are allowed are: a) private vehicles, taxis with one driver and one passenger in front and one at the back, observing physical distancing, b) tricycle with one driver and one passenger in front and one at the back, observing physical distancing, c) single rider motorcycle or bicycle; and, d) free bus rides from the government.”
An official of the Department of Interior and Local Government in Davao City who is privy to the order of the mayor and who asked for anonymity said in a phone interview with Sandigan News that it is clear in the order that such forms of transportation are allowed if they comply with the requirements as stated therein. “Taxi should only have at most two passengers, one sitting in front at the rights side of the driver, and the other one at the back and are observing physical distancing,” the official said. This is also true with tricycle which allows only one passenger in front and one at the back and maintaining the physical distance requirement. Normally sedan taxis can accommodate four passengers while four to five passengers for tricycles. The official quipped the mayor may have considered allowing tricycles because they are the most preferred mode of transportation of ordinary people whose livelihood may be adversely affected by the ECQ.
The informant said Executive Order 23 of the mayor and those that came before it also enumerated the persons who are exempted and those who are prohibited from going out from their domicile like senior citizens, pregnant women, children, those with health issues and those who could not show a Food and Medicine card. “The FM pass is the newest addition to the list of requirements for one to go out under the duration of ECQ”, the official finally said.
