Recto Questions DOTr Revival Of Suspended MVIS Program

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has come under fire for the revival of the questioned Motor Vehicle Inspection System (MVIS) that Malacanang had ordered the agency to stop implementing following an outcry from the vehicle owners.

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto asked the DOTr to explain the issuance of its new memorandum implementation of the MVIS which President Duterte himself ordered suspended last February

Recto called on the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to explain to the public its new memorandum for the implementation of the MVIS, which he said appears to be “roused from dead.”

"It has been put into a coma upon orders of Malacañang. Now it appears that it has mutated into something else,” the Senate leader said in his statement adding that the MVIS seemed to have been “roused from dead.”

“Ang pakiusap lang po natin sa ating mga kaibigan sa LTO at DOTr ay ipaliwanag ang pangangailangan nito at ipakita ang legal na batayan kung bakit binuhay nila ang ganitong programa (What we are asking from our friends in the Land Transportation Office and the DOTr is to explain the need for this and show us the legal basis of why they revived this program),” he appealed.

“Specifically, has the revival of the mothballed PMVIC scheme been given a go-signal by the Office of the President?” he asked.

Motorist groups , vehicle owners, and legislators have complained about the exorbitant fees reportedly charged from them for the yearly vehicle registration. But a July 5 DOTr Memorandum Circular No. MC-SC-2021-02, now provides that the LTO will only accept motor vehicle registrations from private motor vehicle inspection centers (PMVICs) in their designated areas, Recto said.

Now, the new MVIS scheme “seems to border on the mandatory”, contrary to the pronouncements of Duterted, Recto added.

“If a car owner will opt for an inspection done by the LTO, are the facilities of the latter adequate? Is this option available all the time, so they will not be shepherded to private testing centers?” the lawmaker asked.

“Ang ibig po bang sabihin nito, ang isang LTO district office ay may katambal na suking PMVIC at kailangan po bang mag-detour sa PMVIC bago magpa-rehistro (Does this mean that an LTO district office has a partner PMVIC that will serve as a detour before registration)?” he further raised.

Recto said the LTO “should also clearly specify the scope of the inspection, and the fees for each” warning that the policy, if mishandled by the DOTr, “may tarnish whatever legacy the present administration is trying to build in the transportation sector.” “Why contaminate a nice report card by forcefully ramming a scheme, which as presented, breeds confusion and complications?” the senator added.

“There is no debate as to the need to allow only roadworthy vehicles on our highways. Lahat tayo agree doon (We all agree on that). But to blame every road accident on poorly maintained vehicles in marketing PMVICs not only absolves the culpability of reckless drivers but also the failure of the government to build safe roads,” he pointed out.

Senators had questioned the operations of PMVICs noting that existing laws do not provide for the delegation of the MVIS to the private sector. Also questioned were what the senators said as “highly anomalous” accreditations of the PMVICs by the LTO.

After Senate hearings, the legislative body unanimously adopted the committee report which sought the suspension of the privatized MVIS.

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