MANILA, Philippines — The government is being urged to implement an amnesty program for illegal public utility vehicles, popularly known as “colorum,” instead of stamping them out from the roads, which a transportation coalition said does more harm than good for commuters.
During a hearing at the House of Representatives on the proposed Traffic Mitigating Act, transport advocate Robert Siy of the Move as One Coalition suggested that lawmakers enact a policy that would allow colorum — a term now used for unregistered modes of transportation — vehicles to be regularized.
“We should consider an amnesty program for colorum vehicles and regularize them,” Siy said Wednesday. “Without colorum vehicles, they (commuters) would be in a much dire situation than if we were to remove colorum vehicles.”
'Colorum' vehicles a response to shortage
This was Siy’s answer to the proposal under the measure where colorum public utility vehicles would be confiscated and impounded if they are caught plying on roads carrying passengers.
“From the point of view of the commuter, colorum vehicles are, in many ways, a natural economic response to the inadequacy, inefficiency of public transport services. Colorum vehicles emerge mainly because of the need for additional public transport,” Siy said.
But this was immediately opposed by Land Transportation Office chief Edgar Galvante, who said that their campaign against colorum vehicles ensures the safety of passengers.
“Are they safe enough to carry passengers? Because usually those involved in road crashes are unlicensed vehicles,” Galvante said.
In 2018, the government intensified its campaign against colorum vehicles in the wake of a bus accident in Occidental Mindoro that left 19 dead. — Xave Gregorio