Transport group wants new fines deferred

Photo by Erwin Aguilon/RADYO INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines–A transport organization for UV Express units is seeking the deferral of Thursday’s implementation of significantly higher fines and penalties for operators of public utility vehicles, saying more information was needed from a yet-to-be-completed study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica).

Code-X Transport Federation, in a letter to the Inquirer, said the imposition of higher penalties was “premature and untimely.”

The fines, imposed by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and approved by the Department of Transportation and Communications, will significantly increase the costs of companies that violate their franchises and permits.

The higher fines and penalties climb to as much as P1 million for “colorum” bus operators, under the joint administrative order (JAO 2014-01), compared to the previous P6,000.

Code-X said they are seeking a deferment of the JAO until the completion, evaluation and implementation of a study being undertaken by Jica which is to form the basis for the reopening of new franchises or certificates of public conveyance. It said the study will be used to determine whether to add or reduce the number of public utility vehicles on a certain route.

“Unfortunately, the Jica study is yet to be completed resulting in a vacuum that colorum operators are trying to fill up,” Code-X said.

“There are not enough new franchises to eradicate colorum operators,” the group added. “Yet there is high demand for vehicles to ferry the passengers to and from [their] place of work.”–Miguel R. Camus