Palace defends higher fines for colorum vehicles

MANILA, Philippines - For Malacañang, colorum vehicles deserve stiffer penalties.

The Palace on Thursday defended the Joint Administrative Order (JAO) No. 2014-01 of the Department of Transportation and Communication, the Land Transportation Office and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board which sets higher fines and penalties for colorum vehicles.

"Ang colorum ay iligal, labag sa batas. Pagpapatupad ng batas ang pangunahing layunin [ng ginagawa ng pamahalaan]. Sa ganyang paraan mapapangalagaan ang kaligtasan at kapakanan ng mga mamamayan," Presidential Communication Operations Office head Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a statement reported by state-run People's Television.

Based on the JAO, colorum bus operators will pay a P1-million fine for the first offense. The penalties for other first-time violators are:

• Trucks – P200,000
• Jeepney – P50,000
• Vans – P200,000
• Sedans – P120,000
• Motorcycles – P6,000

Aside from these fines, colorum vehicles will also be impounded for a minimum period of three months while their vehicle registrations and certificates of public convenience (CPCs) will be revoked.

Colorum vehicles will also be blacklisted from being used as PUVs.

The JAO official takes effect today after the high court did not issue a temporary restraining order earlier this week, as petitioned by transport groups who conducted a protest caravan this morning.

After hundreds of commuters were stranded due to the transport strike, the DOTC reminded transport groups of their responsibility to the public.

"We call on these transport groups to be responsible in serving the public. Apart from obeying traffic rules, they should not abandon their obligation to commuters, many of whom had difficulty in getting rides today," DOTC Secretary Jun Abaya said in a statement.

Abaya said the revised fines and penalties for colorum public utility vehicles (PUVs) were issued to improve road discipline and safety for the public.

He said operators and drivers should have nothing to fear if they follow the law.

"If these groups are not violating traffic rules and safety measures, then what are they protesting about? It is time for them to follow rules like everyone else, and to practice discipline and orderliness on the road," Abaya said.