‘Colorum’ tricycles down in Caloocan

The number of “colorum” tricycles plying the roads of Caloocan City has gone down significantly compared to three years ago when a campaign against them was not yet in place.

According to a report by the city’s Tricycle and Pedicab Regulation Office, a total of 136 tricycles operating without a franchise were seized by the local government from January to October this year.

The figure was down from the 364 tricycles impounded during the same period in 2008 when the “Zero Colorum” program had yet to be launched.

According to Mayor Enrico Echiverri, the decrease can largely be attributed to the program which ended in 2010.

Amnesty for operators

Under the Zero Colorum campaign, some 2,000 operators of colorum tricycles applied for and were granted a franchise by the city government.

The members of the 100 organizations of tricycle operators and drivers in the city were also required to renew their permits every year.

“Even though the Zero Colorum program has [ended], its positive effects continue to be felt,” Echiverri said.

He added that the local government’s “intensified campaign” also drove away errant drivers, including those who did not have a driver’s license or plied their routes even without a mayor’s permit.

According to him, one of the program’s benefits was the “additional earnings” enjoyed by legitimate tricycle drivers and operators with the disappearance of their colorum competitors.

The mayor’s statement was backed up by a tricycle driver who identified himself only as Joey. He plies a route in Barangay 178.

He said that the P200 he would usually take home after a day’s work has gone up to between P300 and P350, depending on the number of trips he makes.

“Yes, somehow I think (the program) helped,” he told the Inquirer in Filipino.

He added, however, that in the past months, his take-home money had been “constantly changing” because of the fluctuating prices of fuel.

This year alone, local oil companies raised the prices of their gasoline and diesel products at least 12 times.

But earlier this month, Petron Corp., Seaoil Philippines, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., Chevron Philippines and Total Philippines, among others, slashed their prices for premium gasoline, regular gasoline and kerosene.

Diesel prices also went down by 15 to 25 centavos a liter.

Joey said that like his fellow tricycle drivers, he expected oil companies to once again impose a hike in the prices of their products sometime this year.

“That’s what usually happens. They decrease prices then later raise them again,” he complained.