The Cordillera office of the Department of Transportation and Railways (DOTR-CAR) intensified the anti-colorum campaign to ensure the safe travel of motorists to and from their desired destinations in the different parts of the Cordillera.
Lawyer Kristel Sanchez, one of the DOTR-CAR legal officers, said that last year, some 107 colorum vehicles had been apprehended by the agency’s enforcers in the intensified implementation of the government’s anti-colorum campaign.
Further, she added that for the first quarter of this year, there were already some 30 colorum vehicles that were apprehended by the deputized enforcers plying various routes in the different parts of the region.
The DOTR-CAR official claimed that the agency remains steadfast in the implementation of the government’s anti-colorum campaign because of numerous reports from the public relative to the alleged proliferation of colorum vehicles plying various routes in the different parts of the region which compete with vehicles that had been issued the required certificate of public convenience or franchises.
According to her, the apprehended colorum vehicles includes some buses, vans, motorcycles among others that were subsequently impounded pending the litigation of the cases that were filed against the owners and the payment of the corresponding fine that will accrue to the coffers of the national government.
Subsequently said that the agency will not be complacent in the implementation of the government’s anti-colorum campaign that is why owners of motor vehicles should make sure that they possess the proper documents when travelling and ferrying passengers to avoid unnecessary delays while en route to and from their desired destinations.
Earlier, operators of public utility vehicles plying various routes inside and outside the region have time and again complained on the reported proliferation of colorum vehicles that directly compete with their operations, especially during peak seasons such as the Holy Week break and other long holidays.
She appealed to the public to patronize public utility vehicles when travelling inside and outside the region for their own safety and security.
The legal officer expressed the agency’s gratitude to the concerned individuals for providing the vital information leading to the apprehension of colorum vehicles plying variously inside and outside the region.
The operation of colorum vehicles had been existing due to the alleged failure of public utility vehicles to provide the transportation needs of the people wanting to travel inside and outside the region, especially during the established peak seasons where people want to travel to and from their desired destinations.
Sanchez warned owners of colorum vehicles not to try their luck in risking ferrying passengers inside and outside the region because such illegal acts would result to the impoundment of their vehicles and the payment of fines up to P1 million depending on the type of vehicle that had been apprehended. By Dexter A. See