Believe it or not, this truck has a valid LTO registration
“It’s like every time the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) heads out for road-clearing operations, the agency’s personnel just find something bizarre. From DIY parking slots to illegally parked jet skis, the list just keeps on growing.
“The MMDA recently returned to West Avenue in Quezon City, and not only did its team on the road discover that illegal parkers are back, but it also came across this absolutely dilapidated truck that’s also parked illegally on the side of the road. Typical road obstruction, right? Well, not quite.
“According to the video, this Frankenstein’s monster of sorts is actually still being used, and it supposedly has a valid registration at that. If that were true, you really have to wonder how this went past the Land Transportation Office’s (LTO) stringent registration renewal process.
“This truck just looks nowhere near road worthy. There’s a windowpane that’s been installed in place of a windshield, the front end is rusting to oblivion, and the tires’ treads are nowhere to be found. It’s impossible that a vehicle like this would be safe to operate on public roads.
“Some motorists are out there having so much trouble renewing their vehicles’ registration and then you see something like this on social media? It’s hard not to get frustrated. Good thing this truck was illegally parked, so the MMDA was eventually able to tow it away. Good riddance. We hope that thing never sees the light of day again.”
Jet ski caught for illegal parking towed by the MMDA
“If you’re familiar with how the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) carries out its road-clearing operations, you know that anything—literally anything—that’s considered a road obstruction will be cleaned up.
“Recently, we’ve seen some bizarre stuff, like these DIY parking slots from the past week. This time, we see what could be yet another first in this space: an illegally parked jet ski. Yes, just a watercraft randomly parked on a public road. A real head-scratcher.
“Apparently, the jet ski pictured above was already the subject of several complaints around Barangay Siena, Quezon City. The local government unit had already tried reaching out to the owner in the hopes of sorting out the parking issue, but to no avail.
“After multiple attempts that have fallen on deaf ears, the MMDA has stepped in to impound the illegally parked vehicle. It was just another day at the office for the boys in blue. The jet ski was eventually loaded onto a flatbed and towed away.”
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The PNR Calamba-Lucena route has officially been reopened
“A few months back, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Philippine National Railways (PNR) officially opened the San Pablo-Lucena Commuter line. Now, the agencies are extending the rail line even further with the reopening of the Calamba-Lucena route.
“According to the latest PNR advisory, Calamba to Lucena trips (and vice versa) will once again be available. The first trip from Lucena leaves at 4:50am, while the last trip from Calamba departs at 6:30pm. Trips are available daily.
“Lucena to San Pablo will take 1hr30min via the PNR, while Lucena to Calamba will take 2hr33min. As far as the fares go, end-to-end trips will cost commuters P105. You can check out the full fare matrix below.
“This newly opened segment of the PNR is part of the government’s efforts to revive the full PNR network all the way to Bicol and enable the public to take the train all the way to the southern provinces of Luzon.
“Will you be taking the PNR via this new route, readers? You can refer to this short guide we wrote.”
LTO could remove online exam for driver’s license renewal
“There have been some reports going around that the Land Transportation Office (LTO) is considering abolishing the Land Transportation Management System (LTMS), or what’s more commonly known as the LTO’s online portal. The agency has just released a statement to make some clarifications.
“The LTO said that it aims to bolster its online operations while upping the tempo on battling fixers. It has, however, set the record straight and said that abolishing the LTMS is currently not an option. What the agency is considering removing is the Comprehensive Driver’s Education (CDE) online validation exam for driver’s license renewals.
“LTO chief Teofilo Guadiz III shared that fixers are apparently using the online CDE exam to be able to charge motorists even more for driver’s license renewals. The agency has already created a technical working group that will aim to formulate procedures on how to deal with these fixers.
“‘Ang kailangan lang doon, we feel is that kulang lang ’yung app ng facial recognition for us to be able to effectively use the portal. If that feature is added, hindi na puwedeng mangdaya. Dapat kitang-kita ng portal ’yung nag-e-exam, ’yung talagang may-ari ng driver’s license,’ said Guadiz during a recent Senate hearing. ‘We’re in that process now of developing this facial recognition not only for this portal in renewing driver’s license but in our future plan also na ’yung driver’s license renewal will now be done online.’”
DOTr awards new Manila-Calamba section of North-South Commuter Railway
“There’s been significant progress made as far as the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) is concerned. Most of that progress, though, can be seen on the north side of things. But that might soon change, as construction of the southern portion of the rail line could commence within the year.
“The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has just awarded the first four civil works contract packages for the Manila-Calamba section of the NSCR System. The first four packages, which will be funded through a loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), will include 31.5km worth of railway viaducts, nine elevated stations, and one railway depot that covers the Muntinlupa-Calamba segment.
“The three contract packages, CPs S-04, S-05, and S-06 were awarded to the joint venture of Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co. and Dong-Ah Geological Engineering Company. CP S-07 was then awarded to the joint venture of Lotte Engineering & Construction Co., Gulermak Agir Sanayi Inssat ve Taahhut A.S., and EEI Corporation.
“This particular segment of the NSCR System will be part of the South Commuter Railway Project, a 54.6km railway that will connect España in Manila to Calamba in Laguna. This project will include 18 stations in total, a few of which will enable direct connectivity to the MRT-3, LRT-2, and LRT-1 lines. Once fully operational, this rail line is expected to serve 600,000 passengers daily.”
