Poe chides LTO execs over directive suspending mandatory vehicle inspection sent via Viber

Senator Grace Poe on Monday chided the officials of the Land Transportation Office over the “unprofessional” issuance of a directive retracting its policy on mandatory inspection in Private Motor Vehicle Inspection Centers (PMVICs).

At a Senate budget hearing, Poe learned from SINAG president Rosendo So that there are still confusion among motorists on the mandatory vehicle inspections in PMVICs despite DOTr’s statement suspending the policy, as the LTO has yet to issue a formal memorandum circular on the matter.

LTO Assistant Secretary Edgar Galvante explained that they had already issued a directive to their regional directors through Viber to hasten the suspension of the mandatory vehicle inspection from PMVICs.

“Yun pong written memo is to be issued pero po via Viber doon sa aming mga RDs, sinabihan na po sila na ipatupad agad para di po ma-delay, wag na pong antayin yung written,” Galvante said.

(The written memorandum is to be issued but we already instructed our RDs through Viber. We told them to implement the suspension so that there will be no delays. We told them not to wait for the written memorandum.)

But Poe found this move as “very unprofessional.”

“That’s very unprofessional. Ano ba naman ‘yung isang page na ipa-type ninyo, ipa-press release na ninyo kung hindi ninyo mapaabot o ma-email sa mga regional directors ninyo,” Poe said.

(Is it hard to issue a one-page memorandum or a press release if you cannot send it to your regional directors?)

She then urged the LTO officials to drat a one-pager memorandum that formalizes their directive.

Poe then questioned the LTO’s policy, noting the alleged questionable bidding process on the selection of PMVICs, which she said normally requires a public-private partnership.

“Ang nagiging problema kasi baka may pinoprotektahan kayo na mga nauna na kumuha ng kontrata na ‘yan kaya pinagpipilitian ninyo na pumunta doon [sa PMVICs] para marecoup ang malaking ginastos nila,” she said.

(Maybe, the problem is you are protecting those who got the contracts that is why you are forcing the motorists to have their vehicles checked there [in PMVICs] so they could recoup their expenses.)

“Tama naman 'yung intensyon, sabihin nating hindi perpekto, pero ang roadworthiness talagang importante pero sa ngayon kung ipagpipilitan nila ‘yung PMVIC the very least they can do is increase the number of operational PMVICs by opening the bidding and making the process transparent. Hindi ‘yung parang nagulat na lang tayo na may mga may-ari na,” she pointed out.

(You have the right intention, even if we say it is not perfect. The roadworthiness is really important but if you will force to PMVICs, the very least they can do is increase the number of PMVICs by opening and making the process transparent. We should not be surprised that there are already owners of the PMVICs.)

Poe said speculations and confusion arises with regard to the regularity of the memorandum for the inspections by PMVICs if the bidding process is not transparent to the public.

“Papaano ba nag-bidding 'yan? So tuloy nagkaroon ng pagdududa, na para bang, ito ang akin at espekulasyon ko lang ito, na dapat makabawi muna itong mga nabigyan na natin [ng contract] kaya magpalabas muna tayo ng memo na kailangan magpa-inspect sa mga PMVIC,” she manifested.

(How did they bid that? There are doubts created and it appears that those given with contracts should regain their capital first that's why the memo for mandatory inspections in PMVICs was imposed, but this is just my speculation.)

“Totoo ba 'yan para sa roadworthiness or to line other people’s pockets?” she asked.

(Are we really after the vehicles' roadworthiness or to line other people's pockets?)

While there are currently 808 Private Emission Testing Centers (PETCs) nationwide, Poe said only 72 PMVICs are in operation out of the 114 that have been granted a provisional authority to operate.

She likened the PMVICs to a big mall compared to PETCs which she said are like 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 ninyo ako sa bayan na malayo para lang mamalengke kahit na pwede naman dito,” Poe explained.

(What's happening now is like telling the public to buy their goods in a big mall. How about those living in the barrios who can only access the sari-sari stores? It's like you are asking me to go to the city to buy our goods in a big mall even though I can buy it from a sari-sari store.)

For his part, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade acknowledged that there was a “lapse in communication” among the DOTr officials.

He added that the DOTr officials in the road sector were already told to allow the PMVICs and the PETCs “co-exist” and let the motorists choose where they will have their vehicles inspected.

“Insofar as the position of my humble representation is concerned, I told LTO, LTFRB and the road sector that insofar as the PMVIC and the PETC is concerned make them co-exist,” he said.

“For the time being, let the passenger, the riding public, the car owners what to use, the PMVIC or PETC. ‘Wag mong ima-mandatory yan (Don't make it mandatory). Anyway, pareho naman yan (both are just the same),” he added.

Poe thanked Tugade for the quick response on the matter but she asked the DOTr chief to have the memorandum released within the day.

Tugade answered in the affirmative.—AOL, GMA News