The Inter-Agency Council for Traffic has collected more than P305 million in fines and penalties since it began an intensified campaign against colorum public utility vehicles.
“Fines and penalties collected from colorum PUVs went up from P11.2 million to more than P305 million. A total of P305,593,757.56 (96.46 percent) were collected since the onset of Duterte administration against the P11,205,140 (3.54 percent) collected within the six-year term of the previous administration,” the I-ACT said in its latest accomplishment report.
The I-ACT report also showed that since July 2016 until April this year, a total of 2,470 or 41.4 percent of colorum PUVs were apprehended through the strengthened drive and the recently-established Task Force Kamao.
The latest accomplishment is 726 units higher than the 1,744 (58.6%) vehicles apprehended under the administration of former President Benigno Aquino III from 2010 to June 2016, the I-ACT stated.
“This rise in figures, for only a short period of time, is attributed to the cooperation of the public,” according to I-ACT chief and Transportation Undersecretary for Roads and Infrastructure Thomas Orbos.
“Despite being more than just a year in office, we were able to accomplish our goal to eliminate these kinds of vehicles and even surpass the previous admin’s record,” said Orbos.
“We owe it to the public and their increased awareness of the perils these colorum vehicles might bring to them. Through their cooperation and participation coursed through our complaint channels, we were able to identify areas with prevalent colorum activities and easily apprehend them,” he added.
Orbos also noted that under the present administration, the campaign was conducted in all 17 regions of the country, proof of a “relentless campaign” to fully eradicate colorum PUVs, which is in accordance with the directive of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade.
I-ACT is composed of personnel from the Metro Manila Development Authority, Land Transportation Office, Police Highway Patrol Group and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.
The Council formed Task Force Kamao in response to President Duterte’s orders to crack down on all colorum vehicles nationwide, including arresting their drivers and operators.
Authorities admitted that colorum vehicles are among the culprits that caused heavy traffic on major thoroughfares.
Under a Joint Administrative Order issued by the LTO and LTFRB, operators of colorum buses will be fined P1 million for the first offense, P200,000 for trucks and vans, P120,000 for sedans, P50,000 for jeepneys, and P60,000 for motorcycles.