10 bus operators face P1-M fine: Crackdown on colorum PUVs starts

MANILA, Philippines - Agents of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) apprehended 10 colorum buses nationwide during the first day of the imposition of higher fines for out-of-line or unlicensed public utility vehicles (PUVs).

The operators of the apprehended buses face fines of P1 million each under Joint Administrative Order (JAO) No. 2014-01, which took effect on Thursday.

Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya ordered enforcers of the LTO and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to strictly implement the order.

“Carry on with the good job of enforcing safety measures that will protect motorists and commuters. Let’s continue creating a culture of road discipline for the good of the public,” Abaya said.

LTO chief Alfonso Tan Jr. said the buses that were caught by traffic enforcers include two units of Bachelor Express plying Butuan City-Cagayan route; Buenasher Transport Corp. in Manila; Lucena Lines in Laguna; Jerel Transport; two units of Super 5 in Davao; AOM bus in Legazpi City; Dalin Liner in Region 2, and NELBUSCO.

Tan said these colorum buses have been impounded.

The penalties will go straight to the national treasury once paid, he said.

“Let this be a warning to colorum operators. The LTO will enforce traffic rules to ensure the safety of the riding public,” Tan said.

“We are serious in putting a stop to rampant violations of land transportation regulations. As part of our reform program, one of our priorities is to instill orderliness on the roads, for both public utility and private vehicles,” he added.

Stiffer fines backed

Lawmakers are supporting the government’s campaign against colorum PUVs and its imposition of higher fines on their owners and drivers.

Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone said the campaign to rid Metro Manila streets of colorum vehicles deserves the support of Congress and the public.

 â€œThe anti-colorum drive will ease traffic congestion in the metropolis. It will also lessen the danger of accidents, many of which are fatal,” he said.

 â€œSecretary Abaya, chairman Winston Ginez of LTFRB and LTO chief (Alfonso) Tan should be commended for their campaign,” he said.

Evardone, who is a member of the House committee on transportation, pointed out that legitimate PUV operators should have nothing to worry if they are not fielding unauthorized units.

“The problem with legal operators is that they also engaged in illegal practices. This is common knowledge in the industry,” he said.

The lawmaker suggested that owners of colorum vehicles be encouraged to apply for franchises to legalize their operations.

Rep. Jesulito Manalo of party-list group Angkla (Ang Partido ng mga Marinong Pilipino) said stiffer fines give the authorities more teeth in their anti-colorum campaign.

“With the increasing number of vehicular accidents that occur in the country, there is an urgent need to strengthen policies that the government implements to combat the proliferation of unauthorized public transport vehicles,” Manalo said.

He said a P1-million fine would be so prohibitive that a bus operator would not risk running an unlicensed unit.

License plates standardization

Meanwhile, the House committee on transportation is set to conduct an inquiry into the delay in the implementation of the Motor Vehicle License Plates Standardization project of the LTO.

Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, president of the Centrist Democratic Party, has filed a resolution seeking an investigation on reports that anomalies surround the project.

“The immediate implementation of the project will aid law enforcement, improve motor vehicle registration database and enhance the institutional capability of the government,” he said.

The LTO introduced the program in July last year.

Under the program, existing license plates of motor vehicles and motorcycles shall be replaced with a new alphanumeric design with advanced security features.

At present, Rodriguez said there are nine existing license plate designs that cause difficulty in identifying counterfeit license plates.

The contract for the project had been awarded to J. Knieriem B.V. Goes of the Netherlands and its local partner Power Plates Development Concepts Inc.

However, more than six months after the issuance of the circular, the program has yet to be implemented allegedly because of anomalies.

Rodriguez said Abaya confirmed that he had received two letters from bidders detailing the alleged irregularities. – With Jess Diaz, Paolo Romero