Tricycle In The Philippines
Always Available, Cheap and Fast

The tricycle in the Philippines is no different from a motorcab. 

Both refer to a motorcycle with an attached sidecar that can accommodate four maybe six passengers and some cargo.

If you’ve been to the Philippines, chances are you’ve seen a tricycle already. Yes, that small motorized vehicle you see plying on the streets carrying several people clogging traffic. And not to mention, air pollution along with noise pollution.

This is the reason cities like Iligan banned tricycles.

Today in many areas of the Philippines, tricycles are still common mode of transportation.

But in Iligan, they have the sikad which you can find anywhere in the city from sunrise to sunset.

Similar to Iligan sikad

Tricyle is still cheap way to get around town much like a cheap taxi. It drops you off at your exact destination just like the Iligan sikad. They're just a bit more expensive when compared to the sikad.

And the major difference; tricycle in the Philippines uses fuel power while the sikad uses pedal power.

Loud but efficient

You can hear them coming a mile away maybe with two or maybe six people and cargo on top of that. It's really a sight to see.  It  makes you wonder how they do that. 

Well, they have to do what it's available to them because a jeepney can only go so far far. And in many places, jeepneys cannot go where passengers need to go. So, there are times when a tricycle is the only answer.

Tricycle in the Philippines is here to stay.

In many places, these motorized bikes have been around for quite some time that banning them is next to impossible. Their presence are deeply rooted in the system. They are a large part of many people’s lives. Driving these motorcycles are their livelihood. Ttricycle drivers can earn a daily income of one to two hundred pesos.

Tricycle in the Philippines can go where no jeepney can. They traverse from one town to another.

The fare is largely dependent on what you have contracted to pay the tricyle driver. And it is based on the distance traveled and believe it or not, the condition of the road.

Expect to pay a little more if the road is bumpy. You see, when the road is rough the speed has to be slower. The slower the speed, the longer it takes to get to your destination.

Tricyle in the Philippines is favorable in many areas of the Philippines where the roads are most jarring and muddy. So come rain or shine, you can rely on the versatility of these tricycles.

Tricycles in other parts of the world

These tricycles are also popular in other Asian and Southeast Asian countries. In these countries, just like the Philippines, tricycles are mainly used as taxis for hire, for both people and cargo transport. 

They refer to them as “three wheeler” or “tuk-tuks”.

You see these motorized trikes in places like Bangkok, Dhaka, Pune, Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai. So, don’t be shock when you have a chance to visit these places and you see one of these tricycles plying the streets.

As mentioned earlier, Iligan does not have the tricycle but they have the Iligan sikad, jeepney, taxi, habal-habal and the Iligan bus for travel outside the city limits.

A good way to begin your visit to Iligan is to find some cheap flights to the Philippines and read up on the many things to do in Iligan right here.

And don't forget, when you're in Iligan, soak your stresses away in one of Timoga's cool pools.