ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – The Land Transportation Office (LTO) here posted a seven percent increase in revenue collection during the first five months of this year after it shifted to high gear its campaign against colorum vehicles in this city.

LTO Zamboanga City chief Noel M. Noche said his office has collected some P39,029,244.73 during the first five months as compared to last year’s collection of only P36,293,104.98 covering the same period – an increase of P2,736,104.98.

Noche said his office is targeting to collect P37,369,866.23 during the first five months, but it collected higher than that, surpassing its target collection by about four percent or P1,659,866.23.

For the month of May this year, revenue collection was posted at P8,662,438.34 as compared to only P7,188,590.75 last year – an increase of 17 percent.

In a related development, Noche also reported that the number of private vehicles in this city increased by about 7,266 units during the first five months of 2011.

Last year, the local LTO only recorded 23,394 private vehicles in this city during the first five months, compared to 30,660 units this year covering the same period.

Government vehicles also posted an increase – from 426 units last year to 565 this year, or an increase of about 139 units covering the five-month period of 2011.

But the number of for hire vehicles in this city decreased 47 percent during the first five months of this year, from 5,751 last year to 3,076.

Tricycle, one of the main modes of public transportation here, has significantly dropped in number – from 4,640 last year to only 1,883 registered this year.