COA: Over 75% of MMDA vehicles not registered with LTO

Over 75% of the vehicles of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) are not registered with the Land Transportation Office (LTO), the Commission on Audit (COA) said.

In its annual audit report on MMDA, state auditors said 399 of MMDA’s serviceable vehicles were not registered in 2019 due to failure to comply with LTO inspection since most of these vehicles need to undergo repairs/rehabilitation.

COA noted that the non-registration on these vehicles violates Republic Act 4136 or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code—a law which requires that all motor vehicles and other vehicles must be registered and as such: no motor vehicle should be used or operated on or upon any public highway of the Philippines unless the same is properly registered for the current year and any registration of motor vehicles not renewed on or before the date fixed for different classifications, should become delinquent and invalid.

Citing records from MMDA’s Transport Division (TD), COA noted that out of MMDA’s 531 vehicles, only 132 were registered in 2019. These include motorcycle, service vehicle and trucks.

Likewise, state auditors found out that MMDA has six vehicles which were still registered under the name of previous owners in 2019 contrary to the Land Transportation and Traffic Code.

“The current status of the above listed unregistered vehicles is an indication that one of the seven mandates of the Agency which is the Transport and Traffic Management is not attained. Transport and traffic management includes the administration and implementation of all traffic enforcement operations such as imposition of penalties for unregistered vehicles,” COA said.

“As one of the implementing agencies for traffic enforcement, MMDA should act as a role model for the public and to follow strictly with rules and regulation prescribed by LTO for motor vehicle registration,” COA added.

MMDA responds

In response, the MMDA said in a February letter to COA that the non-registration of these vehicles is due to:

• various vehicles not getting a passing mark in LTO Inspection due to defective signal light, plate light and brake light, failed smoke emission, faulty electrical wirings, unsightly body, corroded/unreadable chassis number, and among others.

• the unavailability of plate numbers from previously purchased motorcycles/vehicles which is the basis of scheduling/monitoring the renewal of registration;

• lacking/incomplete documents required for the renewal of LTO registration and

• some end-users prioritizing the renewal of registration.

As for the six vehicles which are still registered under previous owners, the MMDA said that the transfer of Certificate of Registration (CR) to MMDA is currently being handled by Tri Globe for both Isuzu Boom Crane and Isuzu Wrecker Truck with plate number of ZGN 311 and RKV 131.

The MMDA said there are no available documents required by the LTO for the transfer of registered owner for Honda Civic with Plate No. ZNN 373.

Lastly, the LTO has required MMDA to provide the Deed of Donation for the transfer of registration of remaining vehicles registered under Department of Public Works and Highways.

The MMDA, per the same COA report, has also tasked its Transport Unit and Supply Division to coordinate regarding master list and actual status of vehicles to ensure that all MMDA owned vehicles were promptly renewed. Transfer of ownership from previous owners were also being processed while disposition of old and worn out vehicles and acquisition of new are likewise continuously being made. — RSJ, GMA News