Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Vigor Mendoza II has ordered the agency’s Law Enforcement Service to deploy its personnel to malls and other usual places of convergence in Metro Manila and other urban areas in the country to apprehend colorum vehicles and taxi drivers who would refuse to convey passengers.
Dubbed Oplan PASAWAY, Mendoza said the campaign was already cleared by Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista and coordinated with Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board chairman Teofilo Guadiz III.
Citing his own experience and complaints from passengers, Mendoza said complaints usually mount against snobbish taxi drivers who refuse to convey passengers during the Christmas season.
Mendoza directed LTO-Law Enforcement Service director Francis Almora to ensure a sufficient number of enforcers to be deployed even after office hours, especially at night-time when the number of passengers increases. Rio N. Araja
Strategic deployment is also necessary in order to maximize the presence of LTO enforcers, especially in the Metro area, Mendoza said, adding that the mere presence of unformed LTO enforcers is enough to compel taxi drivers to behave, while at the same time, discouraging operators and drivers of colorum vehicles from engaging in their illegal activities.
“We will also coordinate with the Philippine National Police through its Highway Patrol Group, as well as mall security managers in order to augment our enforcers in this operation,” he stressed.