CORTES, Bohol, July 10 (PIA) -- Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado is eyeing to create a task force to go after operators running colorum businesses in the tourism industry here, especially in the transport sector.
This move is in line with his efforts to level the playing field for the legitimate operators and the fly-by night operators in the province.
During the Transportation Forum convened by the Bohol Tourism Office at the Panda Tea Garden on June 9, Aumentado said it is disheartening when tourists he engaged with in his nine years as a regular Bohol to Manila commuter, said they admire the beauty and charm of Bohol but it is expensive here.
He fears that the high cost of Bohol tours could drive the tourists away to Hongkong or other Asian country that is less expensive.
Devoting more time for the lengthy discussion with the sector leaders, the governor listened as the forum also raised problems including tricycles and tricabs illegally operating tours, high tourist transport accreditation costs, tourist franchise restrictive to single unit owners, operation of self-drive units and its corresponding tourist safety issue, few transport vehicles servicing busy routes, and the lengthy bureaucratic process in obtaining franchise and tourist vehicle accreditation.
The governor also admits that the issue on the high costs does not only involve the transport sector but has been pervasive in the tourism industry.
In the public transport sector, the lack of open public transport routes and vehicles to serve Panglao Airport to Alona town has presented an opportunity for unscrupulous drivers and operators to operate and demand exorbitant fares for such a short trip.
Meanwhile, in the tourism transport sector, legal and tourism vehicles and drivers accredited by the Department of Tourism (DOT) are being outsold by competing private operators who may demand less, but tourists may end up paying more and get sloppy service.
Aumentado said that while solving the problem is necessary, Bohol has to take it one at a time to bring back that competitive edge in tourism.
As the province has been declared as a Global Geopark by the United Nation’s Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization which could drive more tourists in the island, the governor fears that bad reviews from tourists stemming from the high costs here might affect Bohol’s tourism promotion.
During the pandemic, local tourism stakeholders implemented a measure that kept colorum vehicles from operating when an agreement was reached to deny them entry into the tourist sites.
Only those vehicles with drivers that could present the Land Transportation Franchise and Regulatory Board tourist or public transport franchise and the DOT accreditation for tourist transport can get in.
For the governor, the creation of a task force will enhance the enforcement efforts to identify and penalize colorum operators.
He said that increasing checkpoints especially in tourism sites, conducting regular inspections, and imposing stricter penalties for violators will hopefully curb the problem.
The Land Transportation Office (LTO) through its chief Yvonne Auza said they are now shifting to using private vehicles during their anti-colorum vehicles operations instead of the official LTO vehicles.
Auza said colorum transport operators are also organized that they have a social media presence and have a system of exchanging information about the LTO team’s whereabouts.
With a sparse manpower to run the office and perform street operations, she asked legitimate drivers of accredited vehicles to report to the LTO when they spot the colorum vehicles so the LTO can immediately apprehend them.
The governor appealed to stakeholders to help foster collaboration among government agencies, transportation associations, and local communities to collectively address the issue. (RAHC/PIA Bohol)
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