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By Jayson Cruz Luna, Contributor
TRAFFIC law enforcers of the Metro Manila
Development Authority (MMDA) impounded and spray-painted some 140 apprehended passenger
buses since Monday, The Manila Times learned Tuesday.
MMDA Traffic Operations Center Enforcement Unit
Head Roberto Esquivel led the anti-colorum operations along EDSA-White
Plains Tuesday morning, resulting in the apprehension of 80 buses.
At least 60 buses were previously impounded
Monday during similar operations along EDSA-Balintawak; EDSA-White
Plains and EDSA—V.V. Soliven.
So huge was the haul of buses that the
agency’s impounding area in Pasig City was filled to the rafters.
This prompted the apprehending officers to redirect the apprehended
buses to an alternative impounding facility in Las Piñas City.
The MMDA’s traffic enforcers spray-painted the
bodies of the buses with the words “colorum” or
“out-of-line” for either operating without a franchise or
outside of their routes. This is meant to send a strong signal to
unscrupulous bus drivers and operators that the agency really means
business in its anti-colorum operations.
But the apprehensions made by the MMDA drew
howls from the Provincial Bus Operators Association of the
Philippines (PBOAP), which called the agency’s painting tactics as
“gestapo-like” and a “senseless, uncivil attack on public
utilities.”
PBOAP president Homer Mercado said they will
meet with officials of the Land Transportation Franchising and
Regulatory Board to discuss their concern on the MMDA’s latest
campaign.
Esquivel, who also heads MMDA’s sidewalk
clearing operations, said the vehicles would only be released to
owners after necessary documents have been presented.
“These apprehended vehicles are only adding to
the volume of traffic and are unfairly competing with those who have
franchises to operate,” he said.
He added the anti-colorum operations is being
implemented to pave the way for the Organized Bus Route system,
which will put into place before the yearend a unified dispatch
system for the 3,500 buses plying EDSA and other major
thoroughfares.
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