Inter-Agency Task Force Apprehends Over 1,000 Dilapidated, Smoke-Belching Jeepneys

The Inter-Agency Council for Traffic (I-ACT), which is composed of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Land Transportation Office (LTO), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), and the Philippine National Police's Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG), has reportedly apprehended over a thousand dilapidated and smoke-belching public utility vehicles (PUVs) since it started its "Tanggal Bulok Tanggal Usok" (TBTU) drive last January 8.

According to I-ACT, a total of 1,169 PUVs had been apprehended for various violations, ranging from defective parts, illegally franchised or "colorum" vehicles, to smoke belching. Of the 1, 169 vehicles, 842 were given ticket citations, 62 were impounded, and 265 subpoenas were issued for smoke belching.

I-ACT recently expanded its operations to Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan, and Rizal as vehicular congestion in these areas are supposedly contributing to the heavy traffic situation in the metro.

"The TBTU campaign is being done in compliance with the President’s directive to get dilapidated and smoke-belching PUVs off the streets," said I-ACT head secretariat Manny Gonzales.

"The government is serious about implementing the law," added MMDA Assistant General Manager for Planning Jojo Garcia. "I appeal to jeepney operators not to let the colorum jeepneys ply through their routes."

Under the TBTU campaign, the council inspects 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 franchises of PUVs.

As a response to the commuters who might be stranded due to the ongoing TBTU campaign, I-ACT has started deploying 15 city buses as an alternative mode of transportation for those in the Masinag area in Antipolo going to Montalban, Rizal, and the Rizal to Cubao route.

The special buses charge P10 for the non-air-conditioned and P12 for the air-conditioned units. The deployment will be coordinated with the LGUs concerned, which will designate the bus stops.

The additional buses are on top of the 20 earlier deployed in various parts of Metro Manila on the first day of the drive.

Among the routes traversed by the buses on special trips were SM North to Balintawak, MRT to Paramount Building in Quezon City, Bagbay to Sauyo in Novaliches going to Munoz Highway, Pasay Rotonda going to Evangelista and Mall of Asia (MOA), and Fairview-Taft and Fairview-Quiapo.