Senator Ralph Recto has filed a resolution urging the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to suspend private motor vehicle inspection center (PMVIC) operations in light of mounting opposition from motorists.
Recto’s Senate Resolution No. 638, which was filed on February 4, cites five reasons PMVICs should cease operations:
1) Unfair treatment to vehicle owners
The policy of subjecting private vehicles to annual roadworthiness tests and franchised vehicles to semi-annual checks five years after the initial registration is seen as unfair by the motoring public.
2) Lack of public consultation
The DOTr and the LTO implemented Memorandum Circular 2020-2240, dated December 29, without exhaustive public consultation or an information campaign for motorists. Recto considers this ill-timed because citizens are still reeling from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
3) Exorbitant testing fees
The legislator also questioned the basis of the testing fees amounting to P1,800 for light vehicles, P600 for motorcycles, and P300 for public utility vehicles.
4) Questions on the policy’s legality
While expressing fears that the roadworthiness testing procedure is prone to corruption, some sectors have raised doubts on the legality of Memorandum Circular 2020-2240, saying it did not pass through Congress or even the Office of the President.
5) Opposition from LGUs
The number of local goverment units opposing PMVIC operations in their respective areas has been increasing in the past few days. The LGUs cited mounting complaints about poor Internet connections at local LTO offices, erroneous readings of testing results, alleged instances of mechanical damage to vehicles due to improper handling by technicians, and faulty equipment.
“The stakeholders are calling on the DOTr and the LTO to first address these concerns and issues regarding the operations of the PMVICs in order to ensure the smooth implementation of the program,” Recto cited in his resolution.
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopBikes.com. Minor edits have been made.
