ILOILO City – Despite calls for a deferment, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Western Visayas is not waiting for things to get back to normal to implement its new system in vehicle registration.
“It’s about time. We cannot wait for the world nga mag-new normal,” stressed Director Eric Lenard Tabaldo.
Come May this year, LTO-6, according to Tabaldo, will start enforcing Memorandum Circular No. 2018-2158 that requires all vehicles to undergo and pass inspection in accredited motor vehicle inspection centers prior to registration.
He pointed out the region’s lenient modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) status.
“We are now under MGCQ. The vaccine will come in the next six months at magno-normalize na tayo,” said Tabaldo.
Under LTO’s new motor vehicle registration system, not less than 60 parts of the vehicle must pass the inspection.
Should one part fail, 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.
The establishment and operation of private motor vehicle inspection centers (PMVIC) is mandated by Memorandum Circular No. 2018-2158, and the motor vehicle inspection requirement is in line with Republic Act 4136 (Land Transportation and Traffic Code) and the Clean Air Act.
However, various groups, transport associations and local leaders were up in arms against the LTO directive.
Citing the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, legislative bodies here, in Iloilo province and Roxas City, Capiz adopted resolutions asking the LTO to reconsider its plan.
In this city, councilors questioned the agency’s readiness, pointing out that it has only two authorized private motor vehicle inspection centers (PMVIC).
Councilor Romel Duron said LTO should first focus on educating drivers, passengers and pedestrians. Most road accidents were due to reckless driving, drunk driving, over speeding, illegal overtaking, among others, he pointed out.
But Tabaldo insisted the public needs to see the “reasonableness of the inspections,” claiming that this would even help reduce injuries and deaths from road crashes.
“Ang disgrasya we cannot wait to happen. Prevention is better than ma-react kita kon may disgrasya na,” he stressed.
Tabaldo assured the public that Region 6 will have enough PMVICs. Initially, LTO-6 targets to accredit nine PMVICs – two each for the cities of Bacolod and Iloilo and one each for Negros Occidental (Kabankalan City), Iloilo province (Passi City), Aklan (Kalibo), Antique, and Capiz (Roxas City).
So far, LTO-6 has already authorized seven PMVICs in nine approved sites in the region. These are in Roxas City, Capiz; Kalibo, Aklan; Sibalom, Antique; barangays Sambag and Balabago in Jaro, Iloilo City; Bacolod City; and Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental.
Aside from the nine, Tabaldo said LTO-6 requested additional PMVICs for light vehicles in Himamaylan, Cadiz and Murcia in Negros Occidental, Bacolod City, Iloilo City; and the towns of Leganes, Calinog and Guimbal in Iloilo province.
There will also be additional PMVICs for heavy vehicles – two each in Bacolod City and Iloilo City and one in Kalibo, Aklan and Kabankalan City.
“Isn’t it enough? More than enough,” Tabadlo quipped.
In this city, two authorized PMVICs are expected to operate this May.
Tabaldo also insisted there is enough time for owners to prepare their vehicles for the inspection.
“When these two PMVICs (in Iloilo City) open in May or June, we will see to it they extend their time. It is too early to bash the project… We have enough experience to make necessary adjustments come D-Day,” said Tabaldo./PN
