Gerona, Tarlac – – They must be imprisoned.
This was stern statement of the head of the Tarlac Moncada Gerona Paniqui Transport Cooperative (TAMOGEPA) on the proliferation of the colorum uv vans which he says “are being protected by the LTO (Land Transportation Office) officials”.
Short of saying they deserve to be shot down, Bernie Fajardo said, “kung kung hindi sila pinu-protekhan ng mga taga-LTO, hindi sila dadami ng ganyan. Sila (colorum vans) na ang hari sa Mac Arthur Highway at sila pa ang matatapang”.
“Dahil sa mga colorum, halos hindi ko na mapag-aral ang dalawang anak ko. Kasalan ito ng mga taga-LTO, imbes hulkihin nila ang mga clorum, kinukunsinti pa nila ang mga ito”, also said Fajardo.
Since last May, only the colorum vans occupy the bus stop fronting the police station here at Barangya Abagon.
The TAMOGEPA has been complaining the colorum vans since year 2010, but their complaints remained unacted by the LTO offices in Tarlac City and Paniqui and even the Region 3 LTO office.
Because of the colorum vans, the TAMOGEPA jipney drivers, which franchise route is the Mac Arthur Highway from Tarlac City to Moncada town, were forced to put-up “sub-terminals along their route line.
“Dati may sub-terminal kami sa bus stop sa harap ng Gerona police station. Pero simula noong Mayo puro colorum na lang ang pumarada doon at walang nagbabawal sa kanila. Kaming may mga legal na prangkisa ang itinaboy sa aming sub-terminal”, said Fajardo.
At any given time, at least 10 colorum white vans are seen parked waiting for passengers at that Gerona bus stop.
“Sa totoo lang mas naging masahol at naging mas masahol ang mga proteksyon ng mga taga-LTO ngayon dahil mas dumami pa sila”, Fajardo added referring to the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.
Around March last year, TAMOGEPA submitted their letter complaints to the LTO region 3 office headed by Marina De Jesus but only a handful of colorum vans were apprehended which observers say “there is no serious action to totally stop the colorum racket”.
The TAMOGEPA members pay more than P8,000 taxes for franchise and registration renewal fees every year. The colorum vans pay no taxes.
“Kaming nagbabayad ng buwis walang proteksyon sa gobyerno, pero ang mga colorum protektado”, lamented Fajardo./ Nelson Bolos