Manila renews drive vs colorum vans, jeeps

MANILA, Philippines–Manila’s City Hall is casting its “anticolorum” net wider on the city’s main streets to cover both big fish and small fry in an effort to ease vehicular traffic.

After going after trucks and buses, city officials on Wednesday shifted their campaign against vehicles operating illegally to check on public utility vans and jeepneys.

Vice Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso led officials from the Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau (MTPB) and Manila traffic police in flagging down white vans marked UV Express along Taft Avenue in front of City Hall as early as 8 a.m.

Most of the vans and FX vehicles had green plates instead of the prescribed yellow plates designated for public utility vehicles (PUVs).

The drivers were asked to present original copies of vehicle registration and franchise papers. Vehicles with green plates but whose franchise documents were verified to be complete and up-to-date were allowed to leave.

Confirmed colorum vehicles were held for a trip to an impounding lot. Their operators will be directed to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and pay the appropriate fines.

Only 12 of the 70 PUVs inspected were found to be operating illegally.

“It’s a hassle for the drivers, passengers, and for us as well, but we are doing this to show that this is serious business. We can’t be defeated by the tedious process [of inspecting PUVs],” Moreno said. “However, I am asking LTRFB to please issue already yellow plates to those with legal franchises.”

The inspection and verification of documents lasted till around midday. Passengers of the affected vans had to alight and transfer to other vehicles.

“This is going to be a massive operation. Metro Manila mayors and other agencies have declared an all-out war against colorum,” Moreno said. “Even if, say, you go through Pasay without getting caught, you will eventually be apprehended in Manila. Colorum vehicles cannot hide anymore.”

On Tuesday, the Metro Manila Council, composed of the different mayors, agreed to uphold the joint administrative order issued by the LTFRB, Land Transportation Office and the Department of Transportation and Communications, which imposes fines for colorum vehicles amounting to P1 million for buses, P200,000 for trucks and vans, P50,000 for jeeps and P120,000 for cars.