LTO chief orders crackdown on colorum PUVs, taxi drivers who refuse to convey passengers

Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief, Assistant Secretary Atty. Vigor D. Mendoza II, on Sunday, said he has ordered the agency's Law Enforcement Service to deploy its personnel to malls and other usual places of convergence in Metro Manila and other urban areas in the country to run after colorum vehicles and public taxi drivers who would refuse to convey passengers.

Dubbed "Oplan PASAWAY", Mendoza said the operation was already cleared by Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista and coordinated with Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chairman Teofilo Guadiz III.

Citing his own experience and complaints from passengers, Mendoza said there is always an upsurge of complaints against taxi drivers who refuse to convey passengers during the Christmas season.

"Marami sa mga taxi drivers ang nangongontrata at talagang hindi nagpapasakay kung hindi papayag sa gusto nilang presyuhan. Mahigpit pong ipinagbabawal ito dahil violation ito ng kanilang prangkisa," said Mendoza.

"Dahil sa dami ng pasahero tuwing panahon ng Pasko, ito rin ang panahon kung saan nagsusulputan ang napakaraming colorum na public utility vehicles at ito rin ang inutos ko na dapat tutukan," he added.

In his order to LTO-Law Enforcement Service Director Francis Almora, the LTO chief said there should be a sufficient number of LTO enforcers that would be deployed even after office hours, especially during nighttime when the number of passengers increases.

He said strategic deployment is also necessary to maximize the presence of LTO enforcers, especially in Metro Manila where there are several malls and other places of convergence.

Mendoza explained that the mere presence of uniformed LTO enforcers is enough to compel erring taxi drivers to behave and operators and drivers of colorum vehicles to be discouraged from engaging in illegal activities.

"We will also coordinate with the Philippine National Police through its Highway Patrol Group, as well as mall security managers in order to augment our enforcers in this operation," said Mendoza.

However, Mendoza appealed to the public to immediately report to the LTO enforcers, policemen, and mall guards present in the area if they became victims of erring taxi drivers.

"Pagtulungan po nating wakasan ang ganitong maling sistema dahil hindi matatapos ang mga ganitong gawain kung hahayaan lang natin ang mga ito na mambiktima ng mga kawawang pasahero," said Mendoza.

"Makakaasa po ang ting mga kababayan na kasangga ninyo ang inyong LTO para wakasan ang ganitong gawain dahil kasama ito sa mensahe ng ating Pangulo Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos, Jr. sa ilalim ng Bagong Pilipinas," he added.