LTFRB pressed anew on stiff ‘colorum’ fines

Transport groups in Metro Manila renewed calls for the suspension of a government order that raised fines to as high as P1 million for franchise violations, a measure already being challenged in the Supreme Court but which remains open for discussion at the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

“We’re not against the law but where are the other government actions to help us so we can avoid violations?” said Efren de Luna, national chair of the Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization (Acto), during a consultation held at the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Quezon City on Friday.

De Luna said some areas covered by their jeepney franchises, for example, had become private properties, forcing operators to find routes and run the risk of being apprehended for being out-of-line.

Other drivers unknowingly commit violations on streets that lack proper traffic signs, such as those for loading and unloading areas, making them easy prey for extortionist traffic officers, De Luna added.

“Let’s have a moratorium while we modify the franchises and install traffic signs,” said the Acto chair.

Other representatives from the truck, taxi and bus sectors were one in protesting the increased penalties for traffic and franchise violations under Joint Administrative Order (JAO) No. 2014-01 issued in June by the LTFRB, LTO and the Department of Transportation and Communications.

The JAO slaps first-time offenders with a P1-million fine for colorum or unauthorized buses, P200,000 for trucks and vans, P50,000 for jeepneys and P120,000 for cars. A third offense will lead to the cancellation of franchise of the operator’s whole fleet.

Days after issuing the order, the LTFRB decided to suspend up to Oct. 17 the implementation of specific JAO provisions penalizing colorum vehicles nationwide. But in July, that suspension was lifted in Metro Manila.

For George San Mateo of Piston (Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide), the JAO seemed to be premised on the assumption that public utility vehicles (PUVs) should get the most blame for the daily traffic congestion.

Yet Congressional hearings had shown that PUVs occupy only 20 percent of the road network while servicing 80 percent of the passengers, he said. On the other hand, private vehicles occupy 80 percent of the road while moving only 20 percent of passengers, San Mateo added.

Quezon City Councilor Bong Suntay, who attended Friday’s dialogue as president of the Philippine National Taxi Operators Association, said the penalties should be rationalized in such a way that only individual violators are punished and not entire businesses.

The consultation was conducted by the LTFRB and the LTO, the first represented by Board Member Ariel Inton, who was tasked by LTFRB Chair Winston Ginez to get the transport groups’ position on the JAO and make recommendations.

The JAO is being opposed in petitions currently pending in the Supreme Court. One of the petitioners, the National Confederation of Transport Workers’ Union, called the measure unconstitutional and “extortionate,” saying the agencies that issued it had no legislative powers to raise the fines.