Task Force Kamao Launched to Campaign Against Illegal PUVs
Colorum will now be dealt with an iron hand as several government agencies have agreed to collaborate in the campaign against illegally-operating public utility vehicles (PUVs).
Task Force Kamao was launched on Wednesday at the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) headquarters. It will be led by LTFRB and will be supported by the Land Transportation Office (LTO), Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), PNP-HPG, and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
“Mabigat ‘yung ating kalaban,” Transportation Undersecretary Tim Orbos said at a press conference. “Ang panlaban dito ay magsama-sama, magsanib-puwersa.”
The LTFRB-led task force was will not replace the Inter-Agency Council for Traffic (I-ACT). IACT will lead operations in Metro Manila for Task Force Kamao and Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group Police Superintendent Oliver Tanseco will serve as its spokesperson.
President Duterte ordered the arrest of drivers and operators of colorum PUVs following last week’s bus accident in Occidental Mindoro where 19 people were killed. I-ACT then vowed to intensify its anti-colorum drive, which led to the creation of Task Force Kamao.
According to LTFRB chair Martin Delgra III, anti-colorum efforts are needed to crack down on opportunistic individuals, syndicates using colorum PUVs to carry out crimes, and even legal franchises who still permit colorum units to run out of their garages.
Task Force Kamao aims to use the expertise of each agency to gather information and figure out where colorum units are operating to maximize the limited resources available to the group.
“What is a neat element here is the information-gathering aspect of this inter-agency task force, by which we’ll be able to gather the information involving colorum so that we will be able to effectively use our limited resources with the maximum impact against colorum activities,” Delgra said.
“We need to identify the enemy: gaano kalaki, saan nag-ooperate,” he later added. “In a task as big as this… kailangan talaga na merong organisasyon.”
Other than Metro Manila, Bicol region and other areas in Visayas and Mindanao are hotspots for colorum activities.
“NCR, Region 4-A, CALABARZON, and the Bicol region — ‘yan talaga ang madalang. Coming from the National Capital Region, pupunta pa ‘yan sa Visayas and Mindanao,” said Police Chief Superintendent Arnel Escobal.
“Hindi lang po yan yung ibang enterprising individuals na nagpapatakbo ng colorum buses. Even big bus companies, meron silang mga units na colorum na walang certificate of public convenience,” Escobal added.
To aid Task Force Kamao’s operations, there will be more impounding sites in seven to eight regional offices. A list of colorum violators will also be released.
via GMA News Online / Rie Takumi
