Refer to: Ms. Dale Zapata
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VP NOLI ASSURES QC TRICYCLE DRIVERS OF NEW TERMINAL
30 August 2005



VICE-President Noli ‘Kabayan’ De Castro yesterday assured members of the Batasan Hills Tricycle Operators and Drivers’ Association (BATODA) they won’t be displaced and rendered jobless the moment the terminal they are using is developed by the government into an income-generating project.

De Castro appeased the protesting BATODA members during the inauguration of the Botika ng Baranggay in Batasan Hills, Quezon City by informing them of a relocation plan for the terminal.

Some 1,500 tricycle drivers and operators are currently using the terminal located at the corner of Commonwealth Avenue and Batasan Hills Drive. Said property is owned by the National Housing Authority (NHA) which is set to convert it into a commercial area to generate additional earnings for the government.

The Vice-President told Charlie Mangone, president of BATODA, his constituents need not fear losing their jobs and livelihood since NHA, one of the key shelter agencies under Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) chaired by De Castro, would provide another area where the terminal can be transferred nearby including a minimum of 500 sq.m on site. HUDCC is concurrently chaired by De Castro.

“Please don’t worry. You will not be dislocated by the development of the property where your terminal sits.  With the cooperation of NHA and the QC local government,” De Castro told the tricycle drivers.

Besides, De Castro said, the commercialization of the property would attract more people and thus result to more passengers for the BATODA members.

Meanwhile, De Castro led the inauguration of the Botika ng Baranggay at the BATODA terminal in Batasan Hills.

In his brief message to baranggay officials and Batasan Hills Residents, De Castro said the project is part of the government’s 10-point agenda, which aims to provide affordable medicines to Filipinos.

During these times when prices of branded medicines are rising, the Botika ng Baranggay seeks to provide an answer to the problem since aside from the low-cost medicines, people just need to go to their baranggay hall to buy drugs instead of paying for a ride to get to the nearest drugstore, De Castro said.

De Castro said the project is set to be replicated in other parts of the country.


Ref No. VPMEDIA 05-114