MMDA nabs 15 more 'colorum' buses

MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Thursday nabbed 15 more out-of-line buses in Pasay City as the agency conducted its second day of operations against colorum and out-of-line public utility vehicles along EDSA.

Crisanto Saruka, head of the MMDA’s Traffic Discipline Office said the buses were apprehended along EDSA’s southbound lane across the Heritage Hotel.

The MMDA’s ongoing “Operation Project Disiplina” which started on Wednesday in an operation in EDSA-Balintawak and in EDSA-White Plains, has so far impounded 32 vehicles for being unfranchised or “colorum” and for being out-of-line.

MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino earlier said the intensified drive against these illegal vehicles would help ease traffic congestion along the metropolis’ major thoroughfares, particularly EDSA.

MMDA operations chief Emerson Carlos said the MMDA will also flag down trucks that will violate the truck ban hours on EDSA past North Avenue.

He also said private trucks with green license plates, whose owners were issued a provisional authority to operate by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), will also be stopped and impounded.

According to Tolentino, the drivers of the apprehended vehicles were issued traffic violation receipts while their vehicles were brought to the agency’s impounding facilities in Barangay Tumana, Marikina City. The owners of the vehicles were also fined P6,000.

The crackdown was resumed after mayors comprising the Metro Manila Council, the MMDA’s policy-making body, came out last Monday with a resolution opposing two circulars and a board resolution issued by the LTFRB.

LTFRB Memorandum Circular 2014-09 suspends operations against out-of-line public utility vehicles, MC 2014-10 stipulates the implementing guidelines on the rationalization of routes for provincial and city buses while Resolution 05 series of 2014 states a “no apprehension policy” for trucks for hire with green plates until Aug. 29.