ACCREDITED transport operators cannot accommodate colorum vans in its fleet, according to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
Davao City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO) head Generose Tecson, on Saturday, September 21, said that some accredited tour van operators were tapping colorum vans due to increasing demand of tourists who want to explore the city.
During a meeting with LTFRB regional director Armand Dioso, the Davao City Business Bureau, other concerned agencies, and private sector on Saturday, Tecson said that LTFRB only accredited tourist operators to operate 10 van units.
She said erring operators can lose their franchise and accreditation from CTOO, LTFRB, and the Business Bureau.
“We noticed kasi na dumarami na ‘yung mga tour vans na naglipana during may conventions dito sa city. Only to find out karamihan sa kanila ay colorum (We notice that tour vans had been rampant during there are conventions here in the city. Only to find out that majority are colorum),” Tecson said in a phone interview.
Recently, the city apprehended two online operating tours for failing to secure necessary business and tourism permits.
Last September 7, JTours & Adventures was apprehended for hiring two colorum van rentals.
Tecson said they are being strict in the tour operating business, for both legal and security reasons.
“Security wise, andami na nating di kilala outside Davao City (there are so many outsiders in Davao City that we cannot recognize). We would like to ensure that we would be able to regulate and monitor them for the safety also of our passengers and tourists,” she said.
She added that vans with public utility vehicle (PUV) franchises are also barred from being hired as tour operating vehicles, which will also result to the revocation of permits.
Tecson admitted that the number of accredited tour van operators in the city cannot cater to the growing demand of tour operations.
She suggested to allow car and van rentals to be given special permits by LTFRB.
However, Dioso told Tecson that based on the definition of their business, they are not allowed to cater to short term visitors or tourists, and their contract should be at least three years.
“I already asked sir Dioso to address this problem. I know Davao City isn’t the only one experiencing this problem. We need to address the growing number of colorums continuously operating in the city,” Tecson said.
She is proposing to allow these car and van rentals to be temporarily accredited as tour and transport operators within the city.
“I’m suggesting we will be sealing them with a sticker, so that we would be able to monitor them when their route will cross outside the city premises,” she said.
While she said the city is still addressing the issue on the lack of tourist transport, the public are advised to transact only with legal tour operating establishments. (RGL)