Upon the implementation of R.A. 8749, better known as “The Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999”, the informal transport modes especially the tricycles were unprepared due to lack of proper policies to facilitate the sector’s compliance on emission standards. Major factors resulting in non-compliance on the two criteria pollutants namely hydrocarbon (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) are (1) poor maintenance of the vehicles, (2) local fuel quality, (3) local practice of drivers on excessive 2T oil as lubricant, (4) tricycles overloading, (5) unawareness of the stakeholders regarding the problem caused by tricycles, and (6) the more heavily polluting 2-stroke motorcycle engine is favored over the 4-stroke due to engine torque and mechanical simplicity and market edge. In this study, correlations were also observed between compliance and variables like education, income, behavior, land use, infrastructure and preference. The lack of information on two-and-three wheelers has been a major restraining wall to understanding the problems in the sector. The tricycle sector is an important segment of the whole transportation system.
Policy intervention is necessary to bridge the law and the target sector. Baseline information gathering, which include interview survey for tricycle drivers and passengers, was conducted in different parts of the city. Tailpipe emission testing was also made to get the actual emission level. The tricycle sector was analyzed from the viewpoint of motorcycle manufacturing and supply, industry association, sidecar business and the aftermarket industry. After establishing the three-wheeler industry profile information gap was addressed while compliance factors were drawn-up where the overuse of lubricant oil emerges as the most common mistake among the tricycle drivers, thus resulting in higher emissions. A menu of policy instruments is prescribed in this study using the Local Government Unit (LGU) as the lead agency in implementation with emphasis on the maintenance and education, petroleum product quality, emissions monitoring and policy review body. A clean air program was recommended to integrate the policy actions into a formal plan. The study provides can serve as a guide for policy makers in enabling the tricycle sector to attain a higher compliance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act.
