ILOILO City – Saying it is untimely, anti-poor and skipped public consultation, a transport group here is set to ask the Supreme Court (SC) to suspend the implementation of the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) new policy requiring all motor vehicles to be checked by private inspection centers prior to registration.
According to Raymundo “Boyet” Parcon, president of the Iloilo City Loop Alliance of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association (ICLAJODA), his group would seek a temporary restraining order (TRO) from the SC.
Parcon told Panay News they will also furnish a copy of their petition to Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chair Sen. Richard Gordon and Senate Committee on Public Services chair Sen. Grace Poe.
Parcon, who also chairs the Western Visayas Transport Cooperative, reiterated that “99 percent” of the more or less 12,000 public utility jeepneys in the city and province of Iloilo will flunk the inspection should the Land Transportation Office (LTO) enforce its Memorandum Circular No. 2018-2158 which sets the guidelines for the authorization of private motor vehicle inspection centers (PMVICs).
PMVICs are privately-owned automated vehicle inspection facilities that will not only check a vehicle’s compliance with emission standards but will also test its roadworthiness prior to registration.
To pass the inspection, Parcon said all of the vehicle’s accessories – engine, hand break, speedometer, clutch, signal light, and stop light – must have no defects.
“Once nga mag-register kami kag ipasulod sa PMVIC, indi kami ya makapasar kay ti ang jeep namon maskin in condition, kulang-kulang ang accessories, wala pa iban gagana,” said Parcon, pointing out that public utility jeepneys are “pasad.”
Meanwhile, during the first committee hearing/consultative meeting called by City Councilor Romel Duron, Association of Taxi Operators in Panay (ATOP) president Perfecto Yap suggested that the inspection should only focus on basic requirements to comply with roadworthiness.
Yap cited the vehicle’s break, headlight, and tires, among others.
Under LTO’s new system of vehicle inspection, not less than 60 parts of the vehicle should pass the inspection.
If one part fails, it must be replaced or repaired, then re-inspected. Another inspection fee has to be paid for the second inspection – half of the amount paid for the first inspection – otherwise the vehicle won’t be able to proceed to registration.
Duron, on the other hand, said there should be enough authorized PMVICs, and LTO should have waited for all of them to operate before implementing the policy.
In Western Visayas, the only operational PMVIC is in Roxas City.
In this city, meanwhile, the two PMVICs that were initially authorized to operate will be activated in May 2021 yet.
LTO initially authorized nine PMVICs in the region, and they are still in the works to authorize more./PN
