How do you solve a problem like... colorum?

All the dedicated efforts of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) National Capital Region, which are now combined with the Philippine National Police (PNP), would go to naught unless some kind of legislation is passed or direct government intervention immediately implemented.

Why so? Did you know that any apprehended colorum vehicle operator only has to do is pay a P6,500.00 fine and the impounded illegal public utility vehicle would be released and immediately ply whatever route its operator desires while playing on the odds that they wouldn’t again be tagged immediately in their nefarious activity?

This stark reality was bared to us by LTO-NCR Regional Director Atty. Teofilo “Jojo” Guadiz III in a meeting, which was also attended by LTO media relations officer Jason Salvador.

Ridiculously undermanned and unarmed, the LTO-NCR teamed up with the NCRPO director Gen. Allan Purisima with the corroboration of the MMDA for an intensified campaign against these illegal public utility vehicles (PUVs) a good number of which are said to be driven by moonlighting armed personnel from the PNP or the Armed Forces, if not being operated and protected by some of them.

But Atty. Guadiz is adamant with their present drive to solve this age old problem, “We will leave no stone unturned in this fight against colorum, aside from the PNP we will coordinate with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to go after syndicates who are reportedly also behind illegal terminals.”

In a recent report, the combined LTO-NCR, NCRPO and MMDA placed composite teams in 6 major areas, namely; Macapagal Blvd., Coastal Road, Quirino-Baclaran, Dela Rosa-Makati, Magallanes-Mantrade and Domestic Airport from 5:00 am to 6:00 pm and recorded massive apprehensions. But then the violating vehicles that were impounded were released as quickly as the fines for their violation were paid by their operators.

“It’s a vicious cycle,” Atty. Jojo exasperatedly said. “We apprehend as many as we can with our meager resources and the next day these colorum vehicles are out in the streets again depriving legitimate divers and operators their just share of the transport business as well as the government of its just share of taxes from the industry,” he added.

While the operators of these illegal vehicles enjoy the ambiguity of the law against their operations or its lack of appropriate sanctions they merrily engage in their illegal trade and clog the streets of the Metro aside from putting at a disadvantage those who would rather tow the line – life can sometimes be so unjust.

To the men who are tasked with the mission – MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino, LTO-NCR director Atty. Jojo Guadiz III and NCRPO director Gen. Alan Purisima, we can only encourage you to continuously and consistently do what you have to do without fear or favor while we wait for an appropriate legislation and government intervention. And perhaps when these illegal operators consistently pay six thousand five hundred pesos every time they attempt to engage in this illegal practice, they might just finally realize that it’s a futile and losing proposition.

Lenten trips can also be hassle-free

Year after year we see efforts of the government and the private sectors either together or individually to help make travel during the Lenten Season less aggravating, more comfortable, convenient and enjoyable.

But I must admit, this year’s motorist assistance program launched by the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) and its subsidiaries Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC) and Tollways Management Corporation (TMC) is the most comprehensive and innovative in the history of motoring in the country.

Dubbed “Safe Trip Mo, Sagot Ko” (SMSK), the well-thought of program assures all motorists of an enjoyable, safe and hassle-free travel with a package of motoring assistance services.

Consider these services that shall be provided in 10 tollway service facilities or service gas stations along the NLEX and the SFEX as well as motorist assistance camps at the SCTEX; free Wi-Fi for laptop, iPad or mobile phone (in 8 NLEX selected stations), free charging for all types of mobile phones, free refreshments and other product samples from coolers (in 4 selected NLEX selected stations) as well as personal assistance from SMSK authorities, first aid in mobile medical clinics, emergency troubleshooting on all vehicles regardless of kind or brand, towing of Class 1 vehicles to the nearest exit, deployment of more patrol teams for quick response to emergency situations and mobilization of ambulant tellers to spread up vehicle passage at the toll plazas.

“This motorist assistance program is precisely our answer to the needs of motorists during heavy traffic on holidays,” said Ramon Fernandez (not the basketball player), MPTC president and CEO. “We always run the extra mile to excite our tollways users,” he added.

“The Safe Trip Mo, Sagot Ko is an endeavor born out of our desire to exceed our tollways users’ expectations,” said MNTC president and CEO Rodrigo Franco.

In addition to the litany of added services mentioned above, to ward off frustrating long queues at the toll plazas, the NLEX and the SCTEX will implement an express payment scheme for Class 1 vehicles during the Holy Week.

Under the scheme called “Holy Week Express Lane”, Class 1 vehicles intending to exit in Dau, Pampanga or the Subic-Tipo toll plaza of the SCTEX may pay corresponding toll fee upon entering the Balintawak Toll Plaza or the Mindanao Avenue toll gate.

This prepaid set up also involves the designation of special lanes at the exit points thereby dramatically reducing volume of vehicles queuing up to pay their tolls.

As a tollway user, these innovative extra efforts give one a light heart and a smile while paying at the toll gates. Way to go, guys.

Mitsubishi’s safe recall

Our friends from Mitsubishi Motors Philippines confidently gave some info regarding a “safety recall” involving Mitsubishi Fuzion models sold from June 2007 to February 2012 with an assurance to their customers that it’s not really a matter to lose sleep about.

“The safety recall is to inspect and replace (if needed) the steering column intermediate shaft. MMPC was informed that some batches of steering column intermediate shafts produced between 2007 to 2012 were suspected to have insufficient welding that may result to failure. The inspection and replacement procedure is estimated to take one and a half hours at the most.

Although there has been no reported occurrence of failures on the steering column, MMPC was directed by its principal, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, Japan to conduct the safety recall. MMPC also informed the Office of Secretary Gregory Domingo of DTI of this recall campaign.

Mr. Hikosaburo Shibata, President and CEO of MMPC said that MMPC has already mobilized its Customer Relations Department to trace the units from its customer database. He said that all the Mitsubishi Motors Philippines service centers nationwide have been alerted to conduct the inspection and do the necessary repairs on all affected units.

MMPC will be issuing out the Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) of the 2,137 units of Fuzion vehicles potentially affected by this campaign. The VIN list will be published in our website at www.mitsubishi-motors.com.ph. For additional concerns and inquiries, customers can get in touch with MMPC Customer Care Center at telephone number (+632) 658 – 0673 Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 4:00 pm.”

Socco-san’s meteoric rise

I pleasantly awoke to a text message early morning last week from my good friend Danny “Sir John” Isla, president of Lexus-Manila.

It was 9 o’clock in the morning and that’s early for someone like me who has the habit to hit the sack at around two in the morning and putting the TV on “sleep mode” in 30 minutes – that’s basically having my shut-eye at around 2:15 or so.

Aside from Sir John waking me up making it a pleasant way of starting the day, he also had quite a bit of good news – “Elvis, si Socco-san executive VP na ng Toyota Motor Asia Pacific.”

Well, Socco-san is none other than Vince Socco, who used to be the top marketing honcho of Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP), a friend who was always supportive of our TV show Motoring Today, urging the other members of the local auto industry to do the same.

When word came out that he was bidding TMP goodbye, there were a lot of speculations as to where he was moving to. Almost all local major auto firms were considered suspects courting him for his known marketing prowess. But those who knew him were confident that he would not entirely leave Toyota – and he didn’t and now he’s up there in a position that I would dare say is the highest position a Pinoy ever reached in the Japanese firm’s corporate ladder.

Cheers “Kuya” (that was how I unashamedly addressed him when he was here despite our slight age difference to his favor), you’ve indeed gone a long way. We are very proud of you as a friend and a fellow Pinoy and very happy for you.

Happy Motoring!!!

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