DAVAO CITY—The city government of General Santos released 231 franchises to tricycle drivers and operators to indicate the local government’s continued permission to allow them to ply downtown streets, despite the current practice of banning such vehicles in city centers.
The Permits and License Division of the Mayor’s Office released on Tuesday the franchises at the Oval Gymnasium.
One driver, Arnolfo Alire, of Doña Soledad Subdivision in Barangay Labangal, said he filed his application for a franchise in 2009 and it was rejected several times owing to lack of supporting documents.
Geraldine Zamora, division head, disclosed that a total of 400 tricycle-franchise applications were filed and owing to the failure of applicants to submit certain documents and comply with requirements, almost half remain pending.
“I hope that you all will take care of your franchises. By having such privilege, I hope you will also be responsible of the lives of your passengers and be their windows to how beautiful GenSan is,” Mayor Ronnel Rivera said.
Rivera advised the trycycle drivers and operators to obey traffic rules “because anytime, authorities can confiscate or suspend these franchises.”