• THERESA MAE DULMAN
The Bacolod Traffic and Transport Management Department (BTTMD) apprehended 49 colorum or illegally operating tricycles during an intensified month-long enforcement operation from April 1 to April 30.
The crackdown followed the conclusion of the city’s Business One-Stop Shop permit renewal period on March 31.
According to the BTTMD, the units were intercepted across major highways, tricycle terminals, and various barangay interior roads.
Of the 49 apprehended units, 27 were found operating without a motorized tricycle operators permit or business permit, while the remaining 22 lacked valid driver’s licenses or necessary documentation upon apprehension.
BTTMD Officer-in-Charge Atty. Reuben Mikhail Sabig estimates that approximately 30 to 40 percent of tricycles currently operating in the city are colorum.
The assessment is based on recent data showing that only about 3,000 operators renewed their permits this year, a significant drop from the 6,000 registered units recorded in 2025.
The department confirmed that it will continue its monitoring and enforcement efforts to ensure public safety and full compliance with local transport regulations.
Sabig said that due to the high volume of apprehensions, authorities are fast-tracking a new, larger impounding facility at the reclamation area to better accommodate seized vehicles.*
