ILOILO City — At least 170 “colorum” vehicles have been pulled off Western Visayas roads since January, as transportation authorities intensify a regionwide crackdown on unauthorized public transport that leaves passengers without crucial safety and insurance protections.
The Land Transportation Office (LTO) Region 6 said mobile enforcement teams are stepping up random roadside inspections along major thoroughfares, regional borders and transit corridors to catch vehicles carrying paying passengers without a valid Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) or franchise from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
The campaign is expected to continue as authorities move against operators circumventing regulations intended to ensure that public transport vehicles and their drivers meet government safety standards.
The number of apprehensions recently increased after personnel of the LTO-6 Regional Law Enforcement Section, headed by Chief Jetster T. Mandadero, caught two more unauthorized passenger vehicles during a routine roadside inspection in Iloilo City.
One of the impounded vehicles was a van allegedly operating a regular commercial arrangement transporting government employees to and from work.
According to Mandadero, the operator was billing the government agency monthly despite having no franchise authorizing the vehicle to carry passengers for a fee.
Another vehicle, a subcompact hatchback, was caught allegedly operating as an unauthorized public utility rental and charging clients ₱5,000 per trip without regulatory approval or legal passenger coverage.
Both vehicles were immediately impounded and towed to an LTO storage facility, while their owners face administrative fines and other legal penalties.
LTO-6 regional director Atty. Gaudioso P. Geduspan II warned the public against patronizing colorum vehicles, stressing that their operations go beyond simple violations of transportation regulations.
Unauthorized operators bypass government safeguards such as mandatory vehicle safety inspections, passenger insurance coverage and professional driver screening, potentially leaving commuters exposed to financial and physical risks in case of accidents.
“Public safety is non-negotiable—and those who put passengers in danger should expect enforcement, not excuses,” Director Geduspan declared.
LTO-6 said its mobile enforcement teams would maintain an active presence throughout Western Visayas as authorities seek to dismantle illegal transport operations and protect commuters.
The agency’s continuing campaign also serves as a warning to vehicle owners that accepting payment to transport passengers without the required government authority could result in impoundment and penalties./PN
