City tricycle body urges ‘colorum’ drivers, owners to register

IMUS CITY, Cavite -- This city’s Tricycle Regulatory Unit (TRU) has advised “colorum” drivers, owners who acquired their unit on/before 2017 to register with their Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association (TODA) presidents to be included in the priority list once a franchise slot is available.

In an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Monday, TRU Administrative Officer IV Cherry Jarin said that their colorum listing is given priority should non-renewal or revocation of existing franchise become vacant and thus the need to fill in the slots.

The city, which imposed a moratorium on issuing new tricycle franchise in 2003, has already issued 7,500 tricycle franchise permits, but noted that there remains some tricycle drivers plying the routes sans the legal permits.

Due to this malpractice, the colorum or a term for illegal public transport or operating without a franchise permit, had a surge of some 2,000 ‘and still counting’ of un-franchised drivers/owners, per latest TRU tally," added Jarin.

With this program, the TRU aims to regulate and end the colorum tricycles.

But while the city government acknowledges that this (tricycle operation) might be some of the owners/drivers only means of livelihood, it is still illegal due to the absence of permit.

“Mai-impound ang unit when apprehended, walang habol ang pasahero in case me aksidente o mangyari, delikado (The tricycle unit would be impounded when apprehended and the passenger cannot run after the driver/operator in case of accident or untoward incident, that’s dangerous),” Jarin said.

Jarin also said that through this program, the list would help the local TRU in exploring if more franchise slots are needed, and to help prioritize those who needed the franchise most.

“So, we really hope for their cooperation, by helping us to help them,” added Jarin.

The TRU team is set to meet with various TODA leaders on Wednesday to discuss certain conditions and plan for the scheduled visit to various TODA terminals in the city for an inventory of all colorum units.

As requirement to be registered, the owners of colorum tricycle units are advised to prepare their Certificate of Registration (COR) with Official Receipt or Certificate of Encumbrance (if no OR/CR), dated on/before 2017; their Tricycle unit and Certificate of Membership if a member of TODA.

Asked about the limit of the unit's "age," Jarin responds "as long as the unit is in good running condition."

The local TRU also solicits the support of its constituents to refrain from proposing or acquiring new tricycle units to be used for public transport. (PNA)