Up against the implementation of the Private Motor Vehicle Inspections Centers (PMVIC), the riders’ group Kapatiran sa Dalawang Gulong (KAGULONG) together with other vehicle owners held a motorcade Tuesday, asking for the suspension of operations of this new and highly controversial system of vehicle inspection and registration.
Kagulong members who assembled early morning at the University of the Philippines (UP) ran their motorcade to the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Quezon City where they handed their letter of opposition and demand for public consultations to LTO chief Edgar Galvante. From the LTO the motorcade moved to the Senate where a public hearing on PMVIC is being held.
Joining Kagulong in the protest action were riders’ groups and other motorists majority of whom are workers from the transport sector, and Partido Manggagawa (PM).
In a statement Kagulong said their opposition to PMVIC stem from the lack of transparency, oppressive rates, and the outsourcing of this comprehensive inspection system to private players.
“Today, due to lack of transparency, nobody knows whether the system is principally for the interest of road safety, for revenue generation on the side of government, or to providing new opportunities for private business amid the pandemic,” said Kagulong’s spokesman Robert Perillo, as mounting complaints of excessive rates in the inspection and re-inspection process are reported in many areas where the PMVIC is initially rolled out by LTO through the private inspection centers.
Reports gathered by Kagulong said the rates for inspection and reinspection range from high to exorbitant as penalties are charged for every failed test on various levels. The group said the Department of Transportation (DOTR) and LTO should have conducted public consultations first before coming out with a new program that imposes additional and unexplained costs to vehicle owners.
According to field reports, the LTO is now charging a 4-wheel vehicle P1,800 for inspection and another P900 for reinspection once the vehicle failed the test. For motorcycle, inspection fee is P600 and P300 for reinspection. All test is being conducted by accredited private inspection centers. Prior to this, inspections are done through the LTO’s Motor Vehicle Inspection System (MVIS).
“Mabigat sa bulsa ang bayaring ito sa isang ordinaryong mga manggagawa na kumikita lamang ng wala pang P600 sa isang araw. Hindi ito makatarungan lalo pa at ang MVIS ay dapat serbisyong ibinibigay ng gubyerno upang masegurong ligtas ang mga sasakyang gagamitin sa mga lansangan.” Dagdag pa niya.
Kagulong argued that instead of outsourcing the MVIS, the LTO should just have upgraded its own system as this is what owners of vehicles are charged for every year under the Motor Vehicle User’s Charge (MVUC) or what is known as Road User’s Tax.
“Saan ba napupunta ang bilyones na pondo sa road users’ tax na ito,” asked Perillo about this fund that has always been hounded by controversies.
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Kapatiran sa Dalawang Gulong (KAGULONG)
9 February 2021
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