Poe scores LTO over mere Viber directive to halt mandatory inspection at PMVICs

FILE PHOTO Sen. Grace Poe (Screen grab/Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Grace Poe on Monday scored the Land Transportation (LTO) for failing to immediately issue a formal memorandum that would inform regional directors that inspection at Private Motor Vehicle Inspection Centers (PMVICs) remains optional and not mandatory.

During the budget hearing for the Department of Transportation (DOTr), LTO chief Assistant Secretary Edgar Galvante said that the agency’s regional directors were informed through their Viber group that inspections at PMVICs are no longer mandatory.

He said the directive was issued through the online messaging application so that it can be implemented immediately.

In an earlier statement, Galvante clarified that PMVICs have not been ordered to stop their operations and that motor vehicle owners still have the option to have their vehicles tested for roadworthiness and compliance with the Clean Air Act either at a PMVIC or at a private emission testing centers (PETC) with the required LTO visual inspection.

“Yun pong written memo is to be issued pero po via Viber doon sa aming mga RDs (regional directors), sinabihan na po sila na ipatupad agad para ‘di po ma-delay, wag na pong hintayin yung written..doon po sa aming Viber group ng mga RDs, in-advise na po sila na ipatupad agad,” Galvante said during Monday’s hearing.

(The written memo is to be issued via Viber, we informed our RDs to implement the suspension so it won’t be delayed, they were told not to wait for the written memo, they were advised to implement it immediately.)

This, however, did not sit well with Poe, who is leading the DOTr budget hearing and chairs the Senate public services panel.

Without the formal memorandum, the suspension of the mandatory inspection through PMVICs supposedly did not push through in some regions, senators were told.

“That’s very unprofessional. Ano ba naman ‘yung isang page na ipa-type ninyo, ipa-press release na ninyo kung hindi niyo mapaabot o ma-email sa mga regional directors ninyo,” said Poe, who asked the LTO to release the said memo within the day.

(That’s very unprofessional. It’s just one page that you will type out, issue a press release or send an email to your regional directors.)

DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugado admitted that there was a “lapse in communication” and agreed that the matter should be clarified.

“Maraming salamat nga at nasuspende agad ito e. Mabilis nga yung pagkilos ninyo. Pwede po bang paalala ninyo kay Asec. Galvante na i-issue na yung memo… sapagkat ayaw po ipatupad ng mga regional directors nang walang official memo,” Poe said.

(Thank you so much that this was immediately suspended. Your action was quick. Can you please remind Asec. Galvante to issue a memo…because the regional directors would not implement the suspension without the official memo.)

“Di po pwedeng Viber-Viber lang siguro [We can’t just give directives through Viber],” she added.

To address the “seeming confusion,” Tugade assured senators that Galvante will issue the memorandum within the day.

During the same hearing, Poe once again questioned the earlier move of the DOTr to mandate inspections through PMVICs.

“Talagang importante ang roadworthiness [Roadworthiness is really important]. Pero kung ipagpipilitan nila ‘yung PMVIC ngayon [But if you will really mandate inspections to be done in PMVIC], the very least they can do is increase the number of operational PMVICs by opening the bidding and making the process transparent,” she said.

While there are currently 808 PETCs nationwide, only 72 PMVICs are in operation out of the 114 that have been granted a provisional authority to operate, she noted.

Poe also described the PMVICs as a “big mall” compared to PETCs, which she likened to “sari-sari stores” that are less modernized but meet minimum standards.

“Parang ang nangyayari ngayon, sinasabi na doon lang kayo mamalengke sa malalaking mall. Papaano naman ako na nakatira sa baryo na ang pinakamalapit lang sa akin ay sari-sari store? Papupuntahin niyo ako sa bayan na malayo para lang mamalengke kahit na pwede naman dito,” the senator said.

(What’s happening is like the public is being told to only shop in the big malls. What about those who can only afford to buy in their nearest sari-sari store? You will ask them to travel far to make purchases there when I can easily access stores that are near me.)

To recall, the Senate public services committee led by Poe recommended the repeal of an order issued DOTr and all accompanying issuances delegating the motor vehicle inspection system (MVIS) to private operators due to “numerous reports of flaws in inspection standards, errors in test results, and the lack of transparency in the accreditation process.”

EDV