Home | To bottom

Position paper on the plan to introduce public utility motor tricycles in Sagada

We raise serious concern on the plan to introduce tricycles into Sagada’s public transport system. There are two main arguments put forth by the proponents, namely, one, that commercial tricycles would provide additional livelihood and, two, that they would make passenger transport cheaper and more convenient. However, we believe that these arguments ignore a lot of considerations that would have long-term adverse effects on our municipality.

First, tricycles have proven to be a bane in areas where they were introduced and allowed to flourish. Towns and cities where tricycles abound have a higher incidence of road accidents than those which do not have them. Their uncontrolled presence has also led to unnecessary road congestions.

Tricycles run safest on flat surfaces, not on uneven road terrains such as what we have in Sagada. Tricycles are not mechanically designed and equipped to deal with emergency situations like when they malfunction while traversing uphill or downhill exposing both driver and passengers to unnecessary danger.

Second, tricycles threaten the environment with air and noise pollution. A study made by the DENR shows that motor tricycles significantly increase the air pollution index m areas where they operate. This reality has led several subdivisions in the country to ban tricycles from their areas as the inconveniences have shown to be greater than the conveniences they are supposed to give. As it is, Sagada would fare better with less motor vehicles than with more. Fumes emitted from the exhausts of motor vehicles are not good for the lungs and tricycles will definitely worsen the situation. The experiences of other places with tricycles also show that they spoil people to unnecessarily depend on rides when they should be walking. The increasing incidence of people dying from heart stroke and high blood pressure hereabouts should be cause for alarm and should make us rethink whether a conveyance that is sure to make us lazier and sedentary is good for our health.

Third, the influx of tricycles into our municipality is sure to diminish Sagada’s serene and idyllic atmosphere. Many outsiders - or even Sagada natives living outside Sagada - come to town ever so often to escape the din and bustle of the city. They come to be recharged in this great energy field which is what it is because we love the town and are wary of any intrusion that would cause the decay of things we hold dear. The solace of an unspoiled rustic town is one of our best attractions and tricycles are sure to chip off a lot from Sagada’s romance. Travelers love coming to Sagada because we have kept it relatively unspoiled amidst the lures of commerce.

Let us learn from experience of other towns and cities. Economic anarchy, driven by the obsession to create profit may not be the best impetus for a town like Sagada. A business enterprise may benefit a few but may cause irreparable damage to the community at large. Any kind of development - propelled by private business or government - must seriously consider what positively reinforces the community spirit and the ambience that we have managed to protect and preserve through the years. A more holistic view should take precedence over private priorities. Unbridled commerce should not dictate the directions of Sagada. Let not the business benefits that accrue to a few individuals cause the collapse of the whole community. Let us learn from the experiences of other so-called tourist towns whose souls have dried up and died with the business dreams of a few turning into community nightmares.

Let us protect Sagada for ourselves and future generations and as a mecca for people who want to escape from the madness of other places, from the noise, the pollution, the congestion of a society that has become too dependent on modern conveyances like motor cars, etcetera, and three-wheeled monsters called tricycles which are increasingly being banned from areas where they were initially allowed to operate.

We appeal to the Sanggunian Bayan and the appropriate authorities not to favor the proposal for a tricycle franchise in Sagada.#

(This paper was authored by some Sagada residents, specific names were not forwarded.)

Home | Back to top