Photo from LTO-7
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Land Transportation Office in Central Visayas (LTO-7) said it apprehended 13 ‘colorum’ vehicles within three days in September 2023.
According to the press statement released on Monday, October 2, the anti-colorum operations took place on September 19 to 21, during the LTO-7’s random roadside inspection in Cebu City, Talisay City, and Minglanilla town.
“This is the prime directive of LTO Chief Assistant Secretary Atty. Vigor D. Mendoza II to intensify efforts against colorum vehicles, and as one the regions in the country with the most vehicles, we have heightened the conduct of law enforcement operations against these colorum vehicles,” LTO-7 Regional Director Glen Galario said in the press release.
What are colorum vehicles?
‘Colorum’ vehicles are public utility vehicles (PUV) that run without a franchise from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
According to Joint Administrative Order (JAO) No. 2014-01 of the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC), among the instances that a motor vehicle is considered operating as ‘colorum’ are when:
- a private motor vehicle operating as a PUV without authorization from the LTFRB
- a PUV that operates outside of its routes without prior permit from the Board or outside the exceptions provided under existing memorandum circulars
- a PUV that operates differently from its authorized denomination
- a PUV that has a suspended or cancelled Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC)
- a PUV with expired CPC and without a pending application for extension of validity timely filed before the Board
During its operation in Cebu, LTO-7’s Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs) apprehended eight vans, three utility vehicles, and two multicabs.
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The vehicles were impounded and the operators or owners were charged with a violation under JAO No. 2014-01.
Fines, violations
The fine for buses is P1 million, for trucks and vans is P200,000, and for jeepneys is P50,000, and the minimum period for impounding is three months.
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On September 7, LTO Asec. Vigor Mendoza II directed all regional directors to intensify the crackdown on colorum vehicles or those illegally operating as public utility vehicles (PUVs).
“This has long been a problem that requires attention and sustained operations to ensure that only those granted with permits could operate. Buhay ng mga mananakay ang nakataya dito kaya dapat natin intong pagtuunan ng pansin as an agency in charge of land transportation safety,” Mendoza said in a statement.
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The directive came after a meeting with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista with the aim of making sure that the riding public is safe.
Inline with the anti-colorum campaign, the LTO-7 said that it is coordinating with the LTFRB, the Philippine National Police through its Highway Patrol Group (HPG), and the different traffic units in Central Visayas to ensure that the colorum vehicles will be put to the impounding facilities.
“We will continue our operations against colorum vehicles with intensified efforts from our enforcement officers, we will also strengthen and randomly conduct checkpoints at the strategic areas in the region, and we will surely continue our collaboration with other agencies,” Galario said.
/bmjo
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