Manila Fare Matrix: Tri-wheel drivers rue dialogue sans, commuter woes varying fare price

TRICYCLE DRIVERS in Manila urging the city government to address the proliferation of colorum vehicles instead as they protested the new fare matrix for three-wheeled vehicles, claiming that it caused burden and losses in their daily earnings.   

The new Manila fare matrix was not supported by operators to begin with, tricycle drivers told the Manila Forefront.  

“Sa 15 years ko na namamasada, ang LGU (local government unit) natin, implement lang nang implement nang hindi na-coconsult sa public,” Murriel Ropeta said.  

“Kailangan kapag nag-i-implement sila ng fare matrix sa mga legal [na tricycle driver], magkaroon din sila ng implementation ng strict na pagsugpo doon sa mga hindi naman legal na namamasada,” he added. 

Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna approved and signed City Ordinance 8979 on Sept. 18, 2023, standardizing fares for tricycles, e-tricycles, and pedicabs, principally authored by First District Councilor Jesus Fajardo Jr., chairperson of the City Council’s committee on transportation.  

The fare for every passenger in tricycles and pedicabs starts at P16 and additional P5 for every 500 meters traveled, while the flat rate for an e-tricycle passenger is P20.  

The ordinance was a supplementary provision to Manila’s Tri-Wheel Ordinance of 2012, spelling out regulations for tricycles and pedicabs. 

Drivers continued to express their dissent despite the presence of the standard fare matrix. 

“Marami nagrereklamong operator,” Mike Macasio, a 40-year-old tricycle driver said. “Mahal daw ‘yong piyesa ng motor, tapos gasolina pa. Kawawa naman daw ang operator kasi mahal.” 

For Roberto, a tricycle driver based along Lacson Ave., the local government should also seek to provide more benefits for them to hurdle their day-to-day challenges. 

He added that becoming a tricycle driver was born out of the lack of job opportunities in the city.  

“Kung meron magbibigay ng mas mataas na benepisyo, bakit magta-tricycle pa kami?” Roberto said. “Ang unang problema mo diyan ay pasma, alikabok, at gutom, tapos ang pinaka-[problema] diyan ay ‘yong mga urinal namin. Wala naman nagbibigay sa amin dito ng place.” 

Not beneficial 

But George Taric, a Sampaloc-based tricycle driver since 2004, said that the implementation of the matrix is only suitable for terminals with a high-volume of regular and diverse passengers.  

“Limang pasahero, isa lang ang pupuntahan, doon talaga mai-implement [‘yong matrix],” he added. 

Point-to-point trips, according to Taric will be the only beneficiaries of the new fare matrix. An example of a point-to-point trip is the tricycle terminal from Legarda to Espana and vice versa.  

“’Yong mga terminal na punuan, sila talaga makaka-benefit. ‘Yong punuan na sinasabi, isang way lang ‘yon ‘eh,” he said. “Maaaring magkaroon ng complications kasi ang biyahe namin dito ay hindi naman ‘yong point-to-point na punuan.” 

The driver suggested that special trips, or trips of passengers with the same destination, should have a different fare matrix as this would incur a loss in their daily earnings.  

Meanwhile, others believed that the new fare matrix does not benefit their livelihood in any form. 

“Walang benefit ‘yan ‘eh. Kaya lang nagkaroon ng ganito dito sa Maynila siguro parang ginaya lang nila sa jeep, meron silang ganoon [na fare matrix]. Sumunod lang sila. Oo, nabigla nga kami, pero wala na kami magagawa rin, nandiyan na ‘yan,” said Daniel Barongo, vice president of the Lacmablu Toda in Manila. 

Despite the lack of benefits, Ropeta hoped that the local government will develop a strict scheme for drivers who do not properly follow the new fare matrix, as he believes it is unfair towards those ‘legal’ tricycle drivers. 

“Nakuha mo ‘yong word, ‘yong ‘strict implementation’. Kailangan kapag nag-iimplement sila ng fare matrix sa mga legal [na tricycle driver], magkaroon din sila ng implementation ng strict na pagsugpo doon sa mga hindi naman legal na namamasada,” he said. 

“’Di naman kami okay doon pero para sa estudyante na lang kaya binabaan namin ang presyo niyan,” Olan, a tricycle driver who has been in the job for 24 years, said. 

Commuter woes 

While implementing a matrix benefits passengers because fares are regulated, journalism  

senior Bless Ogerio said that this may be the opposite for tricycle drivers. 

She added that communication with the drivers and other concerned sectors like operators and passengers must be done before implementing the matrix. 

“Angkop ba ‘yan para sa kabuhayan ng mga driver, ‘yong factor ng inflation, quality of life ng mga nagtatrabaho – may mga factor na dapat cino-consider,” she said.  

Some students are still wary of the new fare matrix as they still experience ‘unfair’ differences in fares charged to them by various tricycle drivers, depending on the length of their ride.  

Commuting by tricycle from Light-rail transit (LRT) 2 Legarda Station to Espana typically costs Biochemistry freshman Zile Segovia P40, which covers the 2-kilometer journey. 

With the fare matrix as the basis, this would only amount to P26. 

“Pag [tig] dalawa 25, ta’s pag tatluhan o apatan, 20 [pesos tig-isa],” she said. 

However, when the first-year student catches a ride in Dapitan, she would get charged up to P100. 

“‘Yong time na nagbayad ako ng 100 kasi parang sinabi po ng driver sakin na ‘akin na lang po ito ah’, tapos sabi ko, ‘kuya kailangan ko po yung sukli.’ Pero parang ayaw niya ibigay sakin so ayun [binigay ko na lang],” Segovia said. 

She added that while the base rate is fairly put, the P50 fare is too costly for the short distance it covers compared to the five-kilometer distance that the same amount can be applied to back at her residence in Marikina. 

There are also instances where tricycle drivers deliberately push up the fares for non-students or “if they feel that a passenger rarely commutes.” 

“Kunwari nu’ng nag-aaral pa ako, ‘di ko pa suot ‘yung ID ta’s pumupunta ako dito sa weekend para mag-dorm, tinataasan nila, ‘di nila talaga sinusunod…kapag feeling nila ‘di laging nagco-commute dito, tataasan nila,” said Danica Largo, an alumnus from the Alfredo M. Velayo  College of Accountancy.  

Largo, who just visited the UST Hospital a moment before the Manila Forefront reached out to her, arrived at the campus via tricycle and was charged P80. 

“Ngayon nag UST Hospital din ako, [and] recently nag tricycle ako. Pinaglalaban niya na 80 [pesos] dapat, dapat pa nga 100. Pero ang alam ko nga 50 [pesos] lang kasi kakagraduate ko lang din [last year],” Largo added. 

A solo trip, Olan said, can run as low as P30 if passengers ask to be dropped off at National University (NU), which is close to the tricycle terminal. 

If the route is to LRT-2 Legarda Station, the solo fare shoots up to P45, which was supposed to be only at P40, Olan clarified.  -- Katrina Samantha Reyes and Chalssea Echegoyen