Tricycles, Trimobiles: Can they be any better?

Trikes in Naga City are much better than those in Legaspi City. They are also better than those of other Philippine cities, design-wise, at least.

Ride a trike in Legaspi at any time of the day and you can get charged P50.00 for even just a very short distance. That is what they charge you from Pacific Mall to Hotel Venezia or from their public market to the bus terminal which is even less than a kilometer away. For years of visiting Legaspi City, that is always the case. There is no point in arguing with the driver, for after all, you're a stranger-in-danger. So, all tourists -- local or foreign -- BEWARE!

Except for a midnight or dawn ride, there is no overcharging by trike drivers in Naga City for more than the usual "double-ride" fare for rides where it will normally take you two rides. Double-ride simply means fare twice the regular fare. Trikes from almost all barangays all converge at the city's center called "Centro". If you ride from a South barangay to the centro, you pay the regular fare. From a north barangay to the centro, you also pay regular fare. But if you want the convenience of a direct ride from north to centro to south, then you only pay double.

During the wee hours, some drivers even charge the regular fare even when you are the sole passenger. At most, you pay double-ride or a contracted fare of say P2o.00 or P35.00 at most.

Design-wise, Legaspi and Naga trikes are very similar if not the same unlike those in Paranaque or other cities where trikes are made like three-wheeled jampacked limousine where they designed them to carry eight to ten passengers where Naga trikes carry only about four or five passengers.

Some Naga tricycles however have roofing that slopes too low to the driver's back-seat that when you ride you need to bow your head low or suffer a damaged hairdo as your head touches the low roofing. That design must be corrected for all trikes in the city. Inside the sidecar, the boomerang-shaped jump-seat are sometimes attached illogically too slanted that you have to hold well and kick your feet to the sidings or you will keep your butt uncomfortably sliding. Some trikes' seats are likewise too slanted. There are also some trikes that are differenty designed and the entrance arch is too low that you will most likely bump your head.

There are also trikes that are about rusty already that if you do not get your clothes dirtied or stained or even ripped, you'll get yourself scratched or wounded. This must likewise be addressed in a trimobile design ordinance.

A proposal to limit the passenger load of trikes to only 4 is brewing at the Sangguniang Panlunsod of Naga. A related proposal should likewise be made to adopt a stand design and measures for our trikes.

Planet Naga City

Having been born, raised, educated, worked and lived in this city all my thirty-something years of my life, I came to regard this beloved city of mine as my only home on this planet.

Though much younger than the many who likewise have spent their whole lives in this city, I have seen Naga transform itself from a sleepy little cub to what is now a fast-growing tiger cradled at the center of this rich Bicol Peninsula.

But just like any child, its growth must be enriched not only by its parents but also by its grandparents, uncles and aunts, siblings, cousins, neighbors, playmates, schoolmates and many other persons that come its way. The city, if it must be raised to become just like an ideal person every one wants to share his life with, must in the same way, be shaped into a dream city we all want to live in.

The responsibility in building the city into one that is all good for learning, earning and simply living must lie not only upon the hands of our mayor, the sanggunian and other officials but also with us all who have been born in it, raised in it, live in it and plan to raise their family in it.

Naga City is our beautiful, little planet. We must all care for it.