Bruno Patricio, regional director of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), estimates that there are 2,000 of these "colorum" vans operating in Region 1 (Ilocos region).
"They are operating illegally and the question should be addressed to the LTO (Land Transportation Office)," Patricio told provincial board members.
In grilling Patricio during its question hour, the board wanted to look into the legality of the public utility vans’ operations and how the LTFRB and the LTO are monitoring and supervising them to protect the riding public.
Since the LTFRB has no power to arrest the erring operators, Patricio said he has asked law enforcers and local government units where these vans operate to help his agency address the problem.
He, however, lamented that once arrests are made and fines paid, these vans continue to operate after two days.
To address this, he said the LTFRB central office has suggested hiking the penalty for "colorum" vehicles from P400 to P3,000, he said.
According to Patricio, some ranking officials in Pangasinan have made inquiries why these colorum vans are tolerated. He refused to identify these officials.
He suspects that operators of these vans secured franchises in Manila to operate as tourist transport providers and accreditation from the Department of Tourism, then got franchises from the LTFRB central office without any fixed routes.
But he said they are operating illegally because they are functioning as public utility vehicles.
During the tourism boom in 1996-1997, about 10 vans were given accreditation to operate as "garage vehicles," meaning they were stationed in the houses of their operators and merely rented by interested parties.
Fourth district board member John Agerico Rosario, who initiated the inquiry, said, "I’m very surprised with the answer that 90 percent of these vans have no franchises because as far as I can see, it looks like the operations of these groups are organized."
Rosario wondered whether the LTFRB has a hand in the collection of fees ranging from P40,000 to P60,000 from the van operators’ groups. Patricio belied this.
He said some enterprising businessmen saw good opportunities in operating public utility vans, eventually forming an association, securing members who were asked to pay membership fees, getting a business to operate and later renting a terminal, although this is considered illegal.
Agerico said he is concerned about the welfare of commuters patronizing these "colorum" vehicles. He recalled an accident involving a "colorum" van along Kennon Road in Baguio City three years ago that resulted in the death of its passengers, mostly from his district.
Meanwhile, Amado Gomez, LTO officer-in-charge for operations in Region 1, said the LTO is unrelenting in apprehending these "colorum" vehicles.
Gomez said they cannot check the operations of these "colorum" vehicles at all times because there are only 15 members of their flying squad who operate in the entire Ilocos region.
He said some local governments such as in La Union have asked that two police officers per municipality be deputized to apprehend "colorum" vehicles and other traffic violators.
Gomez said this could be done in Pangasinan, although Dagupan City has already adopted this scheme.
Patricio suggested to the provincial board to pass a resolution addressed to Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza, through the LTFRB chairman, for the legalization of these public utility vans.