Environmental group Alagaan Natin Inang Kalikasan asked Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez to reconsider his bill suspending the motor vehicle emission testing until the end of 2020.
House Resolution 1007 was anchored on the persistent problem of long lines and queues by motorists especially in his area which put them and government agencies in greater risk of the COVID-19 threat as social distancing and staying apart are not being followed.
ANI-Kalikasan, one of the stronger advocates for cleaner and greener environment in consonance with the Clean Air Act as part of its continued strong partnership with the Land Transportation Office and Department of Transportation, proposed some measures to address Rep. Rodriguez’ concerns.
They said emission testing should no longer be conducted on a “first come, first served” basis as is the current practice. Instead, a scheduling system would be set up by emission testing centers in their respective general area of responsibility by means of text messaging, telephone calls or through logbook reservations.
At present, the DOTr authorizes all emission testing centers to open on Saturdays as well and increase the daily cap from only 80 to 100 vehicles per day. The DOTr has taken the pro-active initiative of increasing the daily cap once more, from 100 motor vehicles per day to 120 motor vehicles.
To lessen the pressure of rush renewal of registration, Assistant Secretary Edgar Galvante of the LTO can issue the requisite circular extending registration of motor vehicles by another 60 days from date of expiry without incurring any penalty charges to comply with the CoVid-19 work protocol/
Undersecretary Artemio Tuazon III took the initiative of extending the authorization of some PETCs and MVECTs which has expired from the period March 16, 2020 to July 15, 2020. These PETCs and MVECTS have been allowed to operate until July 30, 2020 to better serve the public. This has fully complemented the earlier action of the DOTr suspending the capping of emission test and increase from 80 to 120 vehicle to be tested per lane.
In its appeal, ANI-Kalikasan said that while it is fully aware of the congressman’s concerns, it expressed apprehensions that the suspension of the emission testing centers would adversely affect the air quality especially in highly urbanized places like Metro Manila, Metro Cebu and Metro Davao and would not be in accordance with the gains under the Clean Air Act.
“Such suspension would have a negative impact on the emission testing industry with approximately 25,000 Filipinos nationwide becoming jobless. This staggering number includes the community where they operate and thousands of dependents relying on the industry. At the same time, such suspension would contribute to air pollution and adversely affect the air quality throughout the country,” ANI-Kalikasan president Macario Evangelista Jr. said.