LTFRB’s woes in its fight against colorum vehicles

A lot have been said about the presence of too many vehicles in EDSA as the main cause of traffic gridlocks that has been a way of life for many Metro Manila citizens and denizens. The daylong sight of many buses plying EDSA mostly half-empty or half-filled (whichever way you may want to look at it), has made this public utility vehicle as the main culprit in unnecessarily clogging the metro’s main thoroughfare. But ironically a big portion of these buses that unnecessarily clog EDSA are colorums or vehicles illegally plying the public transport routes.   

Fresh into the present administration’s electoral mandate, Metro Manilans were excited to see what seemed to be a no-nonsense campaign against colorum vehicles, especially buses when dozens upon dozens of them were apprehended and impounded through the combined efforts of the MMDA, LTO, LTFRB and the PNP. And EDSA got de-clogged and traffic flow improved dramatically—but that was only for a few weeks.

We learned that the reason behind the recalcitrance of illegal bus operators is the almost inutile sanctions and fines that come with the violation. They just pay the miniscule fine and then ply the routes again slyly losing themselves in the sea of public utility vehicles most of which wantonly waste precious fuel and spew toxic pollutants in the air while in search for passengers.   

In our on-cam interview with LTFRB (Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board) chairman Jaime Jacob aired in last Sunday’s edition of the TV show Motoring Today (12 pm, Solar Sports Channel, Sky Cable Network), we were appraised that his agency’s lack of enforcement personnel is the main stumbling block in what appears to be a losing battle against illegal public utility vehicles. The good chairman added that in many occasions they would just put a uniform in one or two of their personnel and make them work with PNP for a more authoritative and forceful stance, considering that some of those apprehended are policemen moonlighting as PUV drivers or are the operators themselves and worse some of them are even armed while illegally plying their routes.

But all is not lost, as many would hope, if and when they start implementing the e-tagging of PUVs, which electronically identifies the legit from the colorums with the use of RFIDs or Radio Frequency Identification Devices that would be attached to all PUVs. RFIDs are like bar codes similar to those found in products sold in supermarkets and department stores that are scanned to determine their prices. In this case the RFIDs for PUVs would contain all the info to determine their legitimacy.

According to Chairman Jacob they are looking at early next year for the expansive implementation of e-tagging of public utility vehicles in the country.

The main obstacle in the initial introduction of the use of RFIDs for all motor vehicles during the past administration were protests coming from the transport sector itself aside from those owning private vehicles.

The PUV operators had the impression that it was more of a money-making scheme of the then-leadership of the LTO while the private vehicle owners were apprehensively looking at the use of RFIDs as an intrusion into their privacy and a security risk with all the sensitive info and data that can be scanned from these electronic devices that are similar to those found in credit card strips.

The use of RFIDs would surely help in weeding out the colorums from the legit. The question now is when the enforcers find out which is which, what’s next? Will they apprehend? What do you think?

A most successful staging

After all the preparations and our actual 4-day staging at the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) of the 2012 Auto Focus Motor Show & Auto Expo, I had to beg off with our very kind and understanding motoring section editor Manny de los Reyes from last week’s column. Of course he assured me not to worry as he had an extensive coverage of the motor show in our section and which he gracefully did as you may have seen in last Wednesday’s edition.

As we ended the event last Sunday night, all of us at STV (Sunshine Television), the organizers of the yearly motor show were all dead tired although ecstatic about its huge success, which we attribute to all the added efforts exerted to ensure a huge public attendance like the use of the MOA Marching Band (they were actually riding in a truck) that went around the vast expanse of the SM Mall of Asia twice daily to inform everyone about the ongoing event plus the daily free concert of the Flintstones and the Gang and more so because of the perfect motor show weather that the Lord granted us all throughout. We’re all in concurrence that the dozens upon dozens of eggs offered to Sta. Clara and unending prayers for clear skies undeniably made this happen.

I wish to thank Vero Pangilinan and Len Dalistan, the very charming lady executives of Chevron Philippines together with Atty. Philip Gan of Bridgestone Tires and also the SM Mall of Asia for their support in successfully staging the country’s biggest outdoor motor show and test drive this year. I must also make mention of the invaluable support of our media partners, The Philippine Star and FM Radio Magic 89.9.      

Of course there won’t be a motor show without the presence of exhibitors. And for their presence I would like to thank Toyota Motor Philippines/Lexus-Manila, Hyundai Asia Resources, Eurobrand Distributor, Inc. (Peugeot), Columbian Autocar (KIA), Ford Group Philippines, Isuzu Philippines Corporation, Asian Carmakers (BMW) Mitsubishi Motors Philippines, The Car Covenant Company, Inc. (Chevrolet), Universal Motors Corporation  and Nissan Motor Philippines. 

I asked my staff to do an informal daily survey of exhibitors to find out how many sales, reservations or serious inquiries were registered together with the actual test drives that were conducted and when all these data were collated by the end of the motor show I couldn’t believe the figures I was staring it—the motor show was indeed a huge success.

But, with all due respect to all those previously mentioned as major contributors to the motor show’s unarguable success, I guess the major, major (sounds familiar?) credit goes to all those who came to visit us last week from November 8 to November 11—the public. Thank you for your patronage.

We’ll see you again next year for a much bigger staging of the country’s biggest outdoor motor show and test drive—the Auto Focus Motor Show & Auto Expo. 

A toast to the Mitsubishi Mirage

It was a busy weekend for our friends from Mitsubishi Motors Philippines, what with no less than the president of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation of Japan, Mr. Osamu Masuko being here personally to attend the big bash marking the launch of the much-awaited Mitsubishi Mirage last Friday, November 16th.

Together with Mitsubishi Motors Philippines (MMP) president Hikosaburo Shibata, a media conference with Mr. Masuko was held at the Microtel Hotel where from its entire facade a video mapping spectacle was projected as a music festival was held in the evening at the SM Mall of Asia Concert Grounds located just across the street from the hotel.

Last Saturday, a whole day test drive of the Mirage was held, also at the MOA where I met MMPC Vice-President for Marketing Services, Froy Dytianquin, who said that as of last count there are 2,500 reservations for the Mirage, an impressive sales performance indeed.

I was invited to the regional media launch of the Mirage some months back in Bangkok, Thailand and I remember they were saying that the major targeted market were women and young people. But according to Froy, judging from the profile of those who made reservations, it represents a cross section of the Philippine market that’s showing keen interest in acquiring a Mitsubishi Mirage.  

Congratulations to Mitsubishi Motors Philippines for the successful entry of the Mirage into the Philippines.

Chevy now in Cagayan de Oro

Through the invitation of well-respected Visayas-Mindanao business tycoon who’s also considered as one of the local auto industry’s most aggressive multi-brand auto dealers, Mr. Peter Po and his heir apparent, John Andrew, we were witness to the grand opening of Cagayan de Oro’s Chevrolet dealership, the latest in the growing array of remarkable dealerships of The Car Covenant Company, Inc. headed by its youthful president, Atty. Albert Arcilla.

We’ll have the complete story here next week. Watch for it.

Happy Motoring!!!

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