MANILA – Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur P. Tugade is calling on all concerned transport agencies, law enforcement agencies and local governments to act with urgency against what he calls “COVID-19 smuggling” involving some trucking companies and colorum vehicles that clandestinely transport untested people into the “NCR Plus” quarantine bubble.

Tugade made the urgent call after getting hold of a video reportedly taken in southern Luzon, where a truck is seen stopping with helpers opening it up. On opening, the video showed a group of people huddled inside. Many of those inside the van were not wearing masks or face shields. A man, supposedly the one taking the video, then thanked the driver of the truck for transporting the people.

Once outside the truck, the people were then instructed to board several unmarked commuter vans which supposedly will bring them to destinations inside Metro Manila.

Secretary Tugade said he was informed that closed vans and trucks “smuggle” people into the borders of Metro Manila in exchange for cash. Once at the borders, the “smuggled” people will then be fetched by commuter vans.

“Nakita ko ang video na ‘yun. Anong masasabi ko? Pu* nila! Bakit nila gagawin ‘yan? Hindi nila alam na kinukomprumiso at nilalagay nila sa alanganin ang kalusugan at kabuhayan ng mga tao sa kapaligiran at sambayanan?,” Secretary Tugade said.

The video, attched below, was first posted on AutocarPH’s Facebook page and then in this website.

Secretary Tugade said this illegal operation, which is a clear violation of health protocols, must be stopped immediately through the concerted effort of the DOTr, the Land Transportation Office (LTO), the Land Transportation, Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), the Inter-Agency Council for Traffic (I-ACT), the Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) and the various local government units.

“These things must not be tolerated. Let’s move strong on this! Kapag huhulihin natin ‘yang mga ‘yan, tawagin natin yung LTO and LTFRB, ‘yung I-ACT, ‘yung Highway Patrol, ‘yung LGU, ‘yung ka-pulisan. Dapat itigil ito. Kinukomprumiso nila ang buong sambayanan. Lahat ng paghihirap natin sa testing, isolation at treatment mawawala dahil dito sa kaga***uhan at kalokohan na ginagawa nito,” said Secretary Tugade.

Secretary Tugade stressed that such illegal operations serve as vectors of transmission for COVID-19 as the people being transported have not been tested for the coronavirus disease before entering Metro Manila.

LTO has issued a Show Cause Order (SCO) against the driver/registered owner of the truck.

Over the recent Holy Week break, 12 colorum vehicles, bound to different cities and municipalities in the Bicol Region, were apprehended by enforcers of the LTO.

Together with the PNP and other uniformed personnel, enforcers of the LTO were deployed to Del Gallego, in Camarines Sur to strictly implement border restrictions and conduct anti-colorum operations.

According to the Bicol Inter-Agency Task Force, there has been an increase in the movement of people trying to cross borders to avoid the impact of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the “NCR (National Capital Region) Plus” bubble which covers Metro Manila and the adjacent provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal. The extended ECQ in the “NCR Plus” bubble is scheduled to end on Sunday, April 11.

Data from the Bicol PDRRMO showed that from 19 March to 02 April 2021, there were already 79 persons who tested positive for COVID-19 who arrived in the Bicol region, aboard colorum (unregistered) vehicles from Metro Manila.

During anti-colorum operations on 01-02 April 2021, seven more passengers aboard colorum vehicles tested positive for COVID-19. In the same period, 12 colorum vehicles were apprehended: 10 were caught in the Bicol border, while the other two were apprehended in Metro Manila (NCR).

As per investigation, the modus starts with illegal dispatchers looking for passengers on Facebook, where the online booking is made. Once the number of passengers is achieved, the dispatcher will call a colorum operator for the door-to-door pickup of the confirmed passengers.

To prevent these illegal operations, the LTO-NCR continues to conduct regular monitoring of terminals in Pasay City and Cubao, Quezon City, while LTO Region V personnel will remain stationed at the Bicol border.

Further, data from I-ACT shows that from January to March 2021, a total of 153 colorum vehicles were already apprehended in the Greater Metro Manila Area.

Meanwhile, Secretary Tugade said that while he understands that people avail of the clandestine transportation being offered by the trucking companies and the operators of colorum vehicles for various reasons, such as to get to their places of work inside Metro Manila, he also stressed on the dangers posed by such illegal activities.

“Nananawagan ako sa aking mga kapwa Pilipino— maaari lang po ba itigil ninyo ito. Okay na maghanap-buhay kagaya ng sinasabi ko naman na maghanap-buhay tayo, pero ‘wag tayong kumitil ng buhay. Ayon ‘ho ang magandang paghahanap-buhay,” he said.

Secretary Tugade said workers from outside the “NCR Plus” who are classified as authorized persons outside of residence (APORs) can still reach their places of work inside Metro Manila and other areas of the “NCR Plus” bubble by using authorized forms of travel such as provincial buses, subject to the restrictions and requirements by LGUs, and the free ride service being offered by the DOTr for health workers and APOrs, and only after proper health screening.

“Huwag natin ilagay sa alanganin, huwag natin ilagay sa kompromiso ‘yung buhay ng ating mga mananakay, ‘yung buhay ng ating sambayanan. Please lang po, please itigil ninyo ito,” added Secretary Tugade.