Poe: Fines for colorum PUVs ‘certainly too much’

MANILA, Philippines—Senator Grace Poe on Friday said the existing fines for “colorum”  public utility vehicles (PUVs) were “certainly too much” for drivers and operators.

Colorum PUVs are those operating without a franchise permit or outside their franchise area.

“The fines and penalties should be commensurate to the offense made. A one million peso fine for colorum buses is certainly too much,” Poe said in a statement.

“If we really mean business, then the DOTr (Department of Transportation) and its attached agencies should beef up on the enforcement side of existing laws and regulations,” she added.

Poe, chair of the Senate public services committee, made the statement after the DOTr expressed openness to suspend the Joint Administrative Order (JAO) 2014-01 which imposed heftier fines on colorum PUVs.

Poe earlier asked the DOTr to suspend the 2014 order, calling it “illegal” as only the law can impose higher fines and penalties.

READ: Poe calls on DOTr to suspend order imposing stiffer penalties vs PUVs

“We welcome the openness of the DOTr to our call to revoke Joint Administrative Order 2014-01 which burdens violators of transportation laws with hefty fines,” Poe said.

“We look forward [to] this pronouncement to be matched with action towards the scrapping of this illegal administrative order,” she added.

Under JAO 2014-01, operators of colorum vehicles are fined the following: P1 million for buses; PUVs including public utility trucks, P200,000; P50,000 for jeepneys; P200,000 for vans; P120,000 for sedans; and P6,000 for motorcycles.

The senator then stressed that the “more effective deterrent to violators is not so much the amount of penalty, but the knowledge that they cannot get away with the offense.”

After meeting with transport groups in Cagayan De Oro last week, Poe noted that the current penalties were also suppressive for operators and drivers.

“Saan kukuha ng pambayad ‘yung mga drivers natin ng ganyan? Ito ay iligal sapagkat hindi ito ang batas, ito ay Joint Administrative Order lamang noong dating DOTC (Department of Transportation and Communications) na hanggang ngayon ay ipinapatupad,” Poe said.

“Kailangan nating ayusin ito dahil hindi na po ito makatao, mapang-api na ang ganitong klaseng administrative order,” she added.  /muf