LTO-7 apprehended 9T vehicles this year in CV

CEBU, Philippines — More vehicles have been apprehended just in the first few months of 2024 by the Land Transportation Office (LTO)-7, with 9,097 motor vehicles from January to April compared to the 6,899 apprehensions in the same period last year.

During the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas by the Philippine Information Agency-Cebu, LTO-7 regional director Glenn Galario presented the numbers of their apprehensions from January to April in 2024, including 25 colorum vehicles comprising of 16 utility vehicles, four cars, three motorcycles and two SUVs.

Galario added that 668 vehicles were apprehended due to being unregistered, while the remaining figure includes other traffic violations.

Meanwhile, lawyer Vicente Gador Jr., LTO-7 chief of operations said they have not apprehended any unconsolidated jeepneys as the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-7 has yet to give them the go signal.

He stressed that once LTFRB gives them the green light, that’s the time they will start apprehending jeepneys without unconsolidated franchises, which can be considered as colorum.

Earlier, LTFRB-7 chief Eduardo Montealto Jr. said that after the deadline of the franchise consolidation, his office sent 28 show cause orders to 28 operators, giving them due process so they can answer why they failed to join the consolidation.

“Mao ni sila ang six percent nga wala pa mag consolidate which is around 660 units, which can now be considered as colorum,” Montealto said

PUVs from Central Visayas are now 94 percent consolidated, comprising more than 4,000 units.

The deadline to consolidate franchises was extended six times already, with the last set last April 30, 2024.

The consolidation of franchise is part of the government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Project (PUVMP).

The government started to carry out the modernization program in 2017 and has been implementing the PUVMP to reportedly address both the aggravating transport-related problems and the future transportation demand of the country.

According to the program’s rationale, it aims “to fundamentally transform the public transport system in the country making both commuting and public transportation operations more dignified, humane, and at par with global standards.”

“It also seeks to provide the Filipino commuter a comfortable ride by providing a safer, more efficient, reliable, convenient, affordable, climate-friendly, and environmentally sustainable transportation system in the country,” as noted in PUVMP’s goals. —ATO (FREEMAN)