Metro Manila starts ‘all-out war’ vs colorum vehicles

MANILA, Philippines - Starting today, Metro Manila’s 17 mayors will wage an “all-out-war” against colorum or unfranchised public utility vehicles (PUVs).

The operators of these vehicles will be meted penalties imposed by Joint Administrative Order (JAO) 2014.

The green light to go after colorum PUVs was given to the metropolis’ local government units following a sit-down meeting at the Manila Yacht Club brokered by Cabinet Secretary Rene Almendras and Transportation and Communications Secretary Jose Emilio Abaya.

Those who attended the meeting were the mayors, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis Tolentino and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chairman Winston Ginez.

The MMDA and the LTFRB had earlier clashed over the issue of colorum vehicles in Metro Manila after the LTFRB allowed private “for hire” trucks or those using green license plates to operate using the provisional authority the agency had issued.

“Starting today, we will apprehend all colorum vehicles – buses with no franchise, FX vans (Asian utility vehicles), taxis and jeepneys. We will not impose the penalties under local ordinances,” Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno, who serves as the city’s traffic czar, told reporters.

Under the JAO, the operator of a colorum bus will be fined P1 million; a colorum truck operator, P200,000; a colorum jeepney operator, P50,000; a colorum taxi operator, P120,000; a colorum FX van operator, P200,000.

All the apprehended vehicles will be impounded for at least three months.

Moreno said that he had asked the Land Transportation Office to give them two LTO enforcers who will issue the LTO traffic violation receipts.

He added that Metro Manila’s mayors have also agreed that buses will not be allowed to deviate from their routes except for that part of EDSA going to the SM Mall of Asia. 

“There is no place for colorum vehicles in Metro Manila in the coming days. The Metro Manila mayors will simultaneously apprehend. This is an all-out war against colorum vehicles. Give us authority, we will do our job.  It is better for those enterprising individuals not to commit the violation,” Moreno said.

Moreno said that by declaring an all-out war against colorum vehicles, the Metro mayors have pooled their manpower together to make sure that colorum vehicles will not be able to escape apprehension.

Truck express lane extended

Moreno also told reporters that Manila will extend its 24-hour express trade lane for trucks from Port Area through Roxas Boulevard to Quirino Avenue and Osmeña Highway going towards South Luzon Expressway.

“The problem is port congestion. There are still some requests from national agencies from the economic team of Malacañang to add a route from Manila to Cavite. Now we are going to address the express trade lane going towards Batangas and Laguna,” he said.

“There will be an incoming improvement with regard to traffic management of Manila to generate a new route,” he added.

According to Moreno, it was agreed during the meeting that trucks would be given until Oct. 17 to operate in Metro Manila without franchises. He added that private “for hire” trucks or those with green license plates will also be apprehended in Manila and fined according to the JAO.

Ginez also reminded that private “for hire trucks” without provisional authorities from the LTFRB that their units will be apprehended by Aug. 16 and they will be made to pay a P200,000 fine under the JAO.

As for privately owned (not for hire) trucks, Ginez said the LTFRB will no longer require their operators to file petitions for exemptions under the JAO.