A member of the 21st Davao City Council on Tuesday said that they are preparing to conduct an intensive information drive on the Motorized Tricycle Operator’s Permit (MTOP).
Councilor Doce L. Apostol, Chairman of the Committee on Franchises and Public Utilities, said during the Pulong Pulong sa Dabawenyo that while the number of operating Motorized Tricycles for Hire is 1,062, the total number of valid MTOPs recorded across districts only totalled 991 in 2025.
“Naa’y mga operators nga wala na gyud sila nag-renew, mao nga bisitahan ang mga barangay ug ang Tricycle Operators and Drivers’ Association (TODA), i-orient sila nga ang ilang nakuha nga registration of motorcycle vehicle for hire kay [isa na sa] requirement na sa application para makapag-legally operate sa barangay, kay naa’y mga lugar nga dili pwede (There are operators who have not renewed their permits, which is why the barangays and the Tricycle Operators and Drivers’ Associations (TODAs) will be visited to orient them that the registration of a motorcycle as a vehicle for hire is only one of the requirements so they can legally operate and that there are areas where operation is not allowed),” he said.
Apostol said that the drive will not be concentrated in city centers only and will also be brought to far-flung barangays such as Paquibato within six months.
They also intend to clarify the misunderstanding that the Certificate of Registration (CR) for a Motorized Tricycle (MTH) is already a franchise.
It is the MTOP, also referred to as franchise, which allows the operation of motorized tricycles for public transport within specific zones.
Apostol added that the seminars will highlight procedures, requirements, and the transfer of MTOPs, which will be done in close partnership with the City Transport and Traffic Management Office’s Motorized Vehicle Franchising and Regulatory Division.
The two-year validity of the MTOP, as mandated by City Ordinance No. 0758-25 which was signed into law on April 4, 2025, will also be part of the information drive, he said. CIO
