Sec. Tugade wants PMVIC issues resolved first

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) today has ordered the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to temporarily suspend the implementation of motor vehicle inspection at Private Motor Vehicle Inspection Centers where they are operating. What this means is that, even if there is a PMVIC at their LTO office's Geographical Area of Responsibility (GAOR), vehicle owners have the option of checking their vehicles at PMVICs, or just go through with emissions testing at Private Emissions Testing Centers (PETCs). Vehicle inspection can be done either at a PMVIC or the LTO office where the vehicle is registered.

“Department of Transportation secretary, Arthur Tugade, directed the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to hold in abeyance the implementation of the LTO Memorandum directing all regional offices to adopt the mandatory PMVIC testing within Geographic Areas of Responsibility (GAOR) dated August 4, 2021, which was adopted as the subsequent result of Memorandum SC 2021-02 or the Implementation of Geographic Areas of Responsibility (GAOR) for the registration of light vehicles and motorcycles, issued last July 5, 2021.,” said DOTr through a press statement.

They added that “[Tugade] also implored the LTO to maintain the previous registration process where motorists can choose between a PMVIC and a PETC for the required vehicle inspection.”

Currently, vehicles with registrations under an LTO office with an existing PMVIC within its GAOR are required to undergo vehicle testing and inspection only at that authorized PMVIC as a prerequisite for renewal of registration.

Those registered under an LTO office without an existing PMVIC within its area are free to have their vehicles tested and inspected at the nearest PMVIC or just go through the usual emissions testing at a Private Emissions Testing Center (PETC) and have their vehicles visually inspected at the LTO by authorized personnel.

Those who oppose the PMVIC program claim that mandating vehicles (only motorcycles, light vehicles, and jeepneys) is anti-poor, much more costly (vs emissions test), and would require some to travel further in areas where there is only one working PMVIC. Also, these opponents claim that it defeats the purpose of ridding the roads of unsafe vehicles since heavy vehicles are still exempted from the policy.

Source: DOTr

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