LTFRB impounds seven vans with 56 stranded individuals

LEGAZPI CITY --- Seven private passenger vans loaded with locally stranded individual (LSIs) bound foro the Visayas and Mindanao were flagged down on Wednesday (Sept. 9) morning at a quarantine checkpoint along the Maharlika Highway in Milaor town in Camarines Sur, an official of the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said.

Norman Peñaflor, LTFRB Task Force Colorum enforcement team leader, said the vans with private registration plates were impounded at the agency compound here, after the drivers failed to show franchise documents.

Colorum vehicles are privately registered motor vehicles operating as PUV but without proper authority from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

Peñaflor said the vans that were allegedly rented to bring a total of 56 stranded passengers were bound to Visayas and Mindanao regions.

Reports said there are stranded individuals from Metro Manila who wanted to return home to Bicol are either hiring public utility vehicles or private cars and vans and paying P6,000 to P10,000 each for the trip.

The rising incidence of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases in Bicol is attributed to the influx of LSIs from Covid-19 hot spot areas, which prompted the Bicol Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) to tighten security and quarantine measures in all borders.