Chapter 1 The Problem Rationale Transportation has helped us to enhance life over the years and the current world would not thrive without the ability to transfer things easily from one place to another in a short period of time. People would find it easy to move around places as they do, like going to their businesses, homes, workplaces, school, etc. everyday using buses, trains, planes, cars, taxis, vans etc. (Admin 2020) In addition, it contributes positively to economic development through the efficient movement of goods and people between and among rural and urban areas, especially the public transportations. (B. B Kasu & G Chi 2019) In the Philippines, there are public transportations such as jeepneys, buses, taxis, UV express, MRT or LRT, angkas, tricycles and pedicabs. Pedicab, also called as “traysikad” or “padyak”, which literally translates as “stamp the feet” and refers to the action of pushing the pedals of the bicycle with the requisite force to convey passengers, is more commonly used in Philippines to refers to the pedicab (or cycle rickshaw). A sidecar is attached to a regular bicycle to create a pedicab, which is used to carry people over short and in confined spaces. (Tropical Experience Travel Services 2013). It also the cheapest transportation that provides quick, convenient transportation in both rural and urban areas especially short round trips (Blog 2011). Pedicab driving is a source of employment if the poor because there are fewer job present in the area especially for undergraduate employees. (Irene, et al. 2015) Just like here in the municipality of Cordova, trisikad considered as one of the known transportation, it is also the source of income in most of the people besides fishing. Many trisikad drivers consider trisikad driving is a help to support the schooling of their children to graduate. Motorcad or “tricycle”; a motorcyle with a side car, increases here in Cordova. It is a fully covered, have maximum capacity of six passenger seats, and it can travel fast even in a flooded, steep and rocky road easily and quickly. Compare to trisikad that is not that fully covered, have low height that it might get the passenger wet when passing through a flooded area when raining, rocky and steep road can make the travel slower. That’s why many people prefer riding on motorcad because of its convenience in transporting. In the Municipal Ordinance No. 2022-78, which was passed on August 30, 2022, the standard fare for trisikad is now P15 for a single passenger. Therefore, the fee would be P10 per person if there were two or more passengers. The regular fare for tricycles or motorkad is P20 for only one passenger and P15 for two or more passengers per trip. For senior citizens, students, and persons with disabilities (PWDs), the fare is P10 for only one passenger and P8 for two or more passengers. Seniors, students, and people with disabilities receive a reduced fare of P15 for a single person and P10 for two or more. (A.I Futch 2022) Most of commuters still prefer motorcad because its fare gap is not that high and some motorcad drivers still consider P10 fare, especially to the students commuting alone. Many people prefer riding motorcad than trisikad and trisikad drivers having a difficulties in competing on motorcad drivers, in terms of getting commuters to ride on them. It seems like trisikad is a second option of commuters if they can’t see motorcad passing by. Sadly, if they have less commuters to ride on them, their income will also be less. Motorcad really increasing these days, many people prefer riding it when go to other places in town and it really affects the trisikad drivers in many ways. So the researchers wants to find out how trisikad drivers interact to this phenomenon, what are their adjustments and strategies to get commuters ride on them instead of motorcad. The study also helps so that the governemnt can give them opportunities same as the motorcad drivers.
