By Jimmyley Guzman
QUEZON CITY (PIA)—To ensure the safety of motorists, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) levels up its campaign against unregistered or ‘colorum’ vehicles plying the roads.
Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Z. Lopez directed all regional directors to ensure the regular conduct of visibility and special operations in their respective areas of responsibility.
“Nag-level up na ang mga iligal na operasyon ng mga colorum operators dahil sa mga panghuhuli na isinagawa sa nakalipas na dalawang taon. We in the LTO should always be one step ahead of them to ensure that they will be busted,” said LTO Assistant Secretary Vigor D. Mendoza III.
(We have leveled up our operations against colorum or illegal operators. We in the LTO should always be one step ahead of them to ensure that they will be busted.)
Mendoza also instructed all regional directors of mandatory filing of criminal cases against those who would be apprehended in anti-colorum operations, as well as the existing policy that only court order could release the impounded motor vehicles used in colorum operations even if the fine is paid.
Based on the data of LTO, hundreds of colorum motor vehicles, from motorcycles to vans, are apprehended every month.
“Malaki ang epekto ng mga colorum na ito sa mga lehitimong transport operators and we assure our friends in the transport sector of sustained operations to protect their livelihood,” said Asec Mendoza.
(These colorums have a significant impact on legitimate transport operators and we assure our friends in the transport sector of sustained operations to protect their livelihood.)
Transport groups earlier said they have been losing 30% of their income every day due to the colorum vehicles.
Mendoza also urged the public not to patronize colorum vehicles because of road worthiness and insurance issues. Likewise, colorum vehicles do not have insurance for passengers and in case of road crashes, the passengers are left on their own to shoulder the medical expenses.
Several colorum vehicle drivers and operators were already convicted and aside from imprisonment, they were also penalized to pay a fine of up to P1 million.
LTO encouraged the public to report colorum vehicles through LTO’s hotline number 1342-586, LTO website www.lto.gov.ph or Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/LTOPhilippines. (JEG/PIA-NCR)
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