MANILA — The Inter-Agency Council for Traffic (I-ACT) has apprehended 156 vehicles on Wednesday, the largest number of apprehensions recorded in a single day.
In a statement, the I-ACT said 156 public and private vehicles were apprehended during its anti-colorum and roadworthiness operations in various areas, including the Pan-Philippine Highway near SM North Edsa, Masinag in Antipolo City, as well as in Santolan and along 2nd and 4th Avenues in Camp Crame, Cubao, Quezon City from 6:10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Fifty vehicles were also issued with tickets due to defective parts and other violations, while 88 were impounded due to out-of-line operations or illegal parking.
“Drivers of all those vehicles towed will be fined according to MMDA fines. Colorum vehicles impounded through LTFRB are asked a minimum redemption fee of PHP200K, while those vehicles that are smoke-belching and with defective parts through LTO are asked a minimum fine of PHP5K per defective part,” Elmer Argano, Deputy Executive Director and Ground Commander, IACTsyon Sumbong, said in a text message to the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
The traffic council conducted the operations in response to increasing number of complaints and suggestions it has received through its “Sumbong Bulok Sumbong Usok” Facebook chatbot.
The I-ACT has created Team Bravo, which is also known as “IACTsyon Sumbong”, to address complaints brought to its chatbot hotline.
Another team, named Team Alpha, is in charge of its various operations, such as Task Force Kamao and Tanggal Bulok Tanggal Usok.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) launched last March Task Force Kamao, which implements intensified operations against colorum public utility vehicles (PUVs), in compliance with the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte to crackdown on unregistered PUVs nationwide.
Meanwhile, its “Tanggal Bulok Tanggal Usok” operations aims to rid major thoroughfares of dilapidated PUVs.
Under the campaign, the council would inspect the PUVs’ body (appearance), engine, lights, brakes, tires, horn, battery, and smoke emission to check their roadworthiness. Failure to pass the roadworthiness test will result in the suspension of the PUVs’ franchises.
The I-ACT consists of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, Land Transportation Office, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, and the PNP-Highway Patrol Group. (Aerol John Pateña/PNA)
