New LTO chief vows to go after ‘colorum’ vehicles

MANILA, Philippines - The new head of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) vowed Monday to go after “colorum" and out-of-line public utility vehicles. LTO chief Arturo Lomibao said the agency would also target unregistered vehicles in the crackdown. During a turnover ceremony, Lomibao said enforcement of existing road rules is a mandate of the LTO that needs to be implemented seriously. He revealed that the LTO would now shift to “tactical mode" in dealing with erring vehicle owners. To assure the success of the drive, the LTO would ask the Philippine National Police (PNP) to help the agency in going after PUVs operating either without a franchise or outside their assigned route. As for the unregistered vehicles, Lomibao said his first target is the so called “S-plates" or government vehicles. Records showed that there are about 24,000 unregistered government vehicles out of the total 1.6 million unregistered vehicles nationwide. “It would be a big help to the revenue generation of the government if we could register this 1.6 million vehicles and I’m serious with this," he added. Lomibao replaced Assistant Secretary Alberto Suansing of the Department of Transportation and Communications who was appointed as chairman of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board. Suansing replaced Thompson Lantion. - GMANews.TV