• THERESA MAE DULMAN
The Bacolod Traffic and Transport Management Department (BTTMD) is pushing for an increase in permit fees for fun run and marathon events, from the current flat rate of P100 to a tiered cost reaching up to P100,000.
In a letter to councilors Jude Thaddeus Sayson and Em Ang, BTTMD officer-in-charge, Atty. Rheuben Mikhael Sabig, requested amendments to the current rate structure due to the growing number of running events in the city.
“If it is for a fundraising or cause-oriented activity, it is fine for us to keep it affordable; but if it is solely for income, we might as well adjust it,” Sayson said.
Sabig stated in the letter that the department provides comprehensive traffic management for every running event, including route planning, traffic enforcer deployment, safety inspections, and post-event restoration.
“These services entail substantial expenditures in manpower, equipment, logistics, fuel, and administrative cost,” he noted.
Per the BTTMD’s proposal, minimum permit fees would start at P10,000, while distances up to 10 kilometers would cost P20,000.
Fees for routes spanning over 10 to 21 kilometers would be at P50,000, about P75,000 for races up to 42 kilometers, and P100,000 for ultra-marathons exceeding 42 kilometers.
The BTTMD is also recommending the integration of environmental management fees, safety inspection fees, and a 50 percent performance bond.
It cited a similar fee matrix in Cebu City, and noted that the adjustments would allow the Bacolod government to recover its operational expenses while ensuring public safety and minimizing traffic disruptions. | TMD
